Ryan Gosling is in talks to joinStar Wars , and that completely give out with George Lucas ' traditions . The future ofStar Warsremains a mystery decent now ; we knowThe Mandalorian & Groguis releasing in May 2026 , but nobody knows what comes next . That say , a recent mental disturbance in the Force may have given a massive clue - with reports thatRyan Gosling is in talks to joinStar Wars , potentially set to star in Shawn Levy ’s mysterious movie .

Precious little is known about Levy ’s film . It seems to be becoming his stress after the success ofDeadpool & Wolverine , and Levy hinted it ’s astandalone set aside in theStar Warstimeline . As he explained :

" There ’s only so many times that Star Wars movies can revisit the same section of the timeline , and so it ’s really drive me — because I do n’t want to do a Star Wars motion-picture show that is spare to others , nor am I concerned in doing one that has to serve another movie . "

Rey Skywalker Din Djarin and the Prime Jedi

The idea of Gosling as the virtuoso is an absolute secret plan - modifier , though - and not just because it suggests the hereafter is in motion once again .

Star Wars Has Never Had Such A Big-Name Star Before

This Is A Very Different Casting Decision

Star Warstends to go for relative unknowns when it comes to the stars . Back in the 1970s , George Lucas wanted to prioritize finding the right actor for the role rather than bank on superstar mightiness . award , it did n’t avail that the firstStar Warsmovie did n’t command a big enough budget to draw in the big public figure . Alec Guinness was the exclusion , and he was far from impressed by the experience .

Fast - forward to the prequel trilogy , and there were really only two major prove actors in significant roles : Liam Neeson as Qui - Gon Jinn and Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu . Neeson was select for the part because Lucas felt he was the perfect worker , not because he was a household name , while Jackson ’s comparatively minor role was in recognition of his being a lifelongStar Warsfan . Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor had promise resumes , but nothing to unhinge from the biggerStar Warsbrand .

Lucas did consider casting Leonardo DiCaprio as Anakin for the prequels , but Christensen got the role or else .

Din Djarin and Ahsoka-1

Ryan Gosling is different . Gosling has starred in countless movies , many with significant ethnic wallop - who can forget 2016 ’s incredibleLa La Land ? His career has latterly been bolstered by the phenomenal success ofBarbie , which grossed almost $ 1.5 billion in the global box office . He ’s reportedly turned down People ’s " Sexiest Man Alive " laurels multiple time . This casting decisiveness sense so very dissimilar to anything Lucas would have done .

Disney Star Wars Has Been Moving In This Direction For A While

Rogue One Was The Closest Comparison

There ’s a sense in which Disney ’s Lucasfilm has been go in this direction for a while . The snug comparison to Gosling lies in the decision to stray Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso inRogue One : A Star Wars Story ; she was only considered for the role because ofThe Theory of Everything . " I was only offered that use because I ’d been nominate , " Jones recently toldThe Telegraph , " That fall in the producer the confidence that I could behave it . So I ’ve hear the expectant films activate the smaller ace to happen , and vice versa . "

Lucasfilm faced far more restraint when it hail to the remaining continuation trilogy motion-picture show ( although there are rumor Gosling had been considered for Kylo Ren ) , whileSolo : A Star Wars Storyneeded to prioritize actors who could look like a young Han Solo and Lando Calrissian . Even that featured Emilia Clarke as Qi’ra , Han ’s first beloved , and she was fresh from succeeder in the then - ongoingGame of Thrones . Soit ’s clear Lucasfilm has been press toward star might hurl for the movies for quite some metre .

Why Lucasfilm Is Moving Away From George Lucas' Approach

Star Power Is Becoming To Matter Again

The 2010s were a clip of commotion for Hollywood , and for a while it genuinely looked as though star power was dead;the winner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe seemed to set up up a new status quo where the franchises were more important than the actors . Some big names in Hollywood feared being overshadow , andWill Smith even assay to launch anAfter Earthfranchise . But all that appears to have changed in recent years , and we ’re returning to star power and big epithet once again . Gosling ’s discussion with Lucasfilm should really be seen in that linguistic context .

To be bonny , the encroachment of franchises was probably overstated . The MCU notably stumbled after the expiration of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans , after all , suggesting there was a more complex relationship between franchise and whizz than had by and large been realize . Most successful studio apartment understand this , set the face of their actors front - and - center in selling , and unmask them liberally ( even when it did n’t always make tale sense ) .

Here ’s every approaching Star Wars movie in evolution - including Rey ’s New Jedi Order , the Dawn of the Jedi , and The Mandalorian & Grogu !

George Lucas with A New Hope imagery v3

Matters are belike compounded by the deplorable accuracy thatStar Warshas gone through something of a rough period of time . Lucasfilm seemed to suffer confidence in the movies after the box power failure ofSolo : A Star Wars Storyand poor critical receipt forStar warfare : The Rise of Skywalker . The studio pivoted to Disney+ television receiver shows for the last five years , and these have been successful , albeit with diminishing returns . 2026’sThe Mandalorian & Groguwill markStar Wars ' return to the grownup screen - but Lucasfilm can be forgive for wanting some whizz world power in their movies just in pillowcase .

The Mandalorian & Grogufeatures Sigourney Weaver , another big - name actor , although we do n’t yet know what part she ’s playing or how significant her purpose will be . Now Ryan Gosling is in talk of the town to joinStar Warsas well . It feel as though a Rubicon has been cross , and nowStar Warswill acknowledge its own cultural significance by draw in bigger name than ever before . That ’s a resolve shift from George Lucas ' glide path , albeit an understandable one , and it signal a alteration in the nature of Hollywood itself . This has clearly become a very interesting fourth dimension forStar Wars .

Upcoming Star Wars Movies

Ryan Gosling, Luke Skywalker, and Rey

Custom image by Milica Djordjevic

Release Date

The Mandalorian & Grogu

May 22 , 2026

Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) looks back at Mia one last time in La La Land:

Movies

Star Wars

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