Matt Smith heads towards a distant galaxy.
The Dragon House and Doctor Who star has reportedly joined Star Wars Cast: Starfighter, a Lucasfilm feature set directed by Deadpool & Wolverine filmmaker Sean Levy. Smith will be appearing alongside film leader Ryan Gosling. Production is scheduled to begin this fall ahead of the theatrical release on May 28th, 2027.
Smith joins Star Wars as a villain
Smith is said to be taking on one of the film’s villain roles. Details of the character remain under the rap, but sources suggest that he was tapped to portray his major antagonist. Mia Goth is also obsessed with the project, pointing out that she will play another villain character.
As reported in Deadline, which defeated casting news, Smith was chosen after Levy met several actors for his important role. Executives reportedly view Smith as an actor who embodies being “the next great villain in the Star Wars universe.”
The long-awaited step into the Star Wars franchise
This is not the first time Smith has come close to entering the Star Wars galaxy. In 2018, he was said to have been cast for an unreleased role in the Rise of Skywalker, and was rumoured to be a younger version of Emperor Palpatine. This part never happened, but Smith later confirmed that it was substantial.
“It was a big thing. It was a big story detail, a transformational Star Wars story detail, never crossed the line,” Smith revealed in Happy Thud’s confused podcast.
What we know about Star Wars: Starfighter
The film was officially announced during the Star Wars celebrations held in Tokyo earlier this year. There, both Gosling and Levy appeared on stage to announce their projects. Set five years after the events of Skywalker’s Rise, the film introduces a new chapter to the Star Wars timeline, with Gosling playing fresh characters that are not connected to the Skywalker saga.
Describing the project, Levi states: “The film is a new adventure, a new character, and takes place in a new period after Episode IX, after the Battle of Exegol,” he added, recognizing his responsibility to tackle the franchise. “You’re scared, you’re nervous, you want to make it right. But with this story, with this collaboration, we feel we can get it right.”
Gosling also spoke about the film’s potential, saying, “The script is very good. There’s so much adventure, mind, and original characters in the story. It’s an opportunity to shed light on aspects of the universe that we’ve never seen before.”
A new adventure beyond the Skywalker saga
Levy and screenwriter Jonathan Tropper are looking to carve out new territory for the franchise. As Levy explained, “I feel like I have an opportunity to do a film that is not a prequel. It’s not a sequel, it gives us the DNA of Star Wars that we love, but the adventure is all new.”
Star Wars: Starfighter is expected to be a major film event for the franchise’s 50th anniversary, and will land a few weeks after the new hopeful re-release at cinemas. With Smith confirmed and the production ready, the next era of Star Wars storytelling has begun to take the shap, with familiar faces playing a dark new power.
