The next Star Wars movie villain was revealed, and it is a big star that fans will almost surely recognize. After next year's The Mandalorian & Grogu, Deadpool & Wolverine's Shawn Levy will put his stamp on the Star Wars universe with the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. The new film will star Barbie's Ryan Gosling in the leading role, with horror movie maven Mia Goth playing one of the star-faring villains.
Not much else is known about Levy's planet-hopping adventure in the galaxy far, far away, but the movie has been seen picking up steam, leading fans to believe it is heading for filming fast. With production looming on the horizon, another key detail about the project was unveiled, as yet another big bad bursts onto the Star Wars scene.
Deadline reported that former Doctor Who star Matt Smith joined the cast of Star Wars: Starfighter in an undisclosed villain role. Smith is now the third big star attached to the movie, joining Gosling and Goth for Shawn Levy's 2027 Star Wars project.
Details about Smith's specific character have not been disclosed; however, it was reported that the film will feature two formidable foes (which the House of the Dragon star is assumed to be one of) hunting down Gosling's character across the galaxy.
Smith was previously cast in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker in another mystery role, which was reported to be a young Emperor Palpatine, but the part was ultimately cut from the film before filming.
Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter is slated to hit theaters on May 28, 2027, set as the second Star Wars movie to be released in this new era of Lucasfilm movies (following The Mandalorian & Grogu). The new film, starring Gosling, Smith, and Goth, is said to take place several years after The Rise of Skywalker, with filming starting later this year.
Why Matt Smith Is the Perfect Star Wars Villain
Despite not yet knowing what exactly Matt Smith's Star Wars: Starfighter character will look and sound like, it is hard not to get excited about the immensely talented British star entering the galaxy far, far away.
The House of the Dragon actor has proven to be a unique talent on the big and small screen. The 42-year-old has been genuinely terrifying at times in past projects, appearing as villains on titles like Charlie Says and Starve Acre.
With his character seemingly set to pair up with Mia Goth (best known for her spine-chilling work in Pearl, X, and Maxxxine), it seems that Smith will get to stretch those scary muscles yet again as one of Starfighter's big bads.
While it will likely not be as his former Rise of Skywalker character, as that was assumed to be the young Palpatine, hopefully, Smith will be given the chance to channel some of that baby Palpy energy in the new Shawn Levy blockbuster.
It will be interesting to see whether Smith will get to wield a lightsaber in the film. It has been reported that Starfighter will see its star, Ryan Gosling, as a Jedi training his young nephew five years after the events of Episode IX. So, if Gosling gets a saber, then his two on-screen adversaries may as well.
