Perhaps the most highly anticipated film set in a galaxy far, far away is Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter. One reason fans are so hyped is that the movie will be headlined by two of Hollywood's biggest stars: Ryan Gosling (Barbie) and Mia Goth (Pearl). Casting these big names is Disney's way of increasing excitement for its flagging franchise, but it also means it has ditched the franchise's decades-long tradition of casting films with relatively unknown actors.
As far back as the original Star Wars: A New Hope, George Lucas went out of his way to cast actors that most moviegoers had never heard of. Sir Alec Guinness was the only major Hollywood veteran in the film, one Lucas hoped would add some gravitas to his pioneering space fantasy. Otherwise, Lucas cared so much about casting relatively unknown actors that he wanted to avoid casting anyone he had ever worked with. That's why he initially only had Harrison Ford running lines with other actors, but the younger man's sheer charisma during line readings helped him land the coveted role.
George Lucas continued this tradition with the prequel trilogy. When The Phantom Menace was released in 1999, general audiences were likelier to have seen baby-faced Ewan McGregor in an episode of ER than in A Life Less Ordinary, a great film that mostly bombed at the box office. Similarly, Natalie Portman was mainly unknown outside of Léon: The Professional; Jake Lloyd was an obscure TV actor, and Ahmed Best had never starred in a feature film. As with A New Hope, Liam Neeson served as the one Hollywood veteran who could anchor this fantastic fable.
Even after George Lucas sold the Star Wars rights to Disney, the House of Mouse continued this tradition. John Boyega was only known for the criminally underrated Attack the Block before The Force Awakens, and Daisy Ridley had not starred in a feature film before she was cast as Rey.
Oscar Isaac was slightly better known, but only to those who appreciated Inside Llewyn Davis and Ex Machina. Even Adam Driver, arguably the best part of the entire Sequel Trilogy, was only known for Girls before he terrorized fans' favorite fictional galaxy.
And then there's Star Wars: Starfighter. Headlining star Ryan Gosling (one of several major stars Disney wanted for this film) isn't relatively unknown: He's a Golden Globe-winning actor who has been nominated for an Academy Award on three occasions. Mia Goth established herself as this generation's most prolific scream queen. She starred in Ti West's killer trilogy of horror films (X, Pearl, and MaXXXine) and will appear in Christopher Nolan's adaptation of the Greek epic The Odyssey. Together, these two bring more star power and Hollywood clout to Starfighter than any Star Wars film before it.
Will Star Wars' Stunt Casting Work?
As marketing strategies go, this simple move may prove effective. Both Gosling and Goth are known quantities with a built-in fanbase, which may help Star Wars return to its silver screen glory after the failure of the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
This move arguably means that the franchise is starting to lose one of the things that has always made it so special: introducing rising talents to a new generation of fans. And it may get weirder if rumors about Gosling joining the MCU end up being true.
Will audiences embrace these new characters, or will they only be able to think of previous movies when they see Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth? Only time will tell if Disney's stunt casting gamble pays off or potentially grounds this film for good. Star Wars fans everywhere will discover when Starfighter launches into theaters in 2027.
Dr. Chris Snellgrove is a staff writer who joined The Direct in 2025. He is a veteran entertainment writer who has written for a number of national outlets and reputable sites, with his hot takes on movies and TV shows reaching millions of fellow nerds. When he's not busy reading comics and watching the latest in superhero smackdpwn cinema, he loves to cosplay his favorite fandoms at conventions throughout America.
