Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy confirmed the filming location of his Star Wars movie, potentially hinting that the upcoming Lucasfilm project will return to a notable planet from the Skywalker Saga's prequel trilogy, Naboo. The hype surrounding Star Wars: Starfighter is high, mainly due to the fact that it will be one of Star Wars' first theatrical movies since 2019's Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker and next year's The Mandalorian and Grogu and its incredible cast led by Ryan Gosling, Amy Adams, and Flynn Gray.
Starfighter began production in August 2025 and it came with the news that it will completely be detached from the Skywalker Saga (though it is set years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker). Given that filming is underway, Levy has been providing notable tidbits of Starfighter online, such as the first clear look at Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray's characters who appears to be in-character while atop a spaceship with an ocean behind them.
Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy confirmed in his Instagram caption that they are filming on the Mediterranean Sea. Given that the scenes from Naboo were also filmed on the same location, it's possible that Starfighter could return to Naboo.
In Star Wars lore, Naboo is located near the border of the Outer Rim Territories, the home of the Gungans and the birthplace of Emperor Palpatine and Padmé Amidala.
Naboo served as a significant location in Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace because many would argue that it was where the stakes started to became high for the Skywalker Saga due to Padmé's game-changing encounter with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. This was also where the iconic lightsaber duel between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan took place, a fight that tragically claimed Qui-Gon's life.
Andor had a brief flashback to Naboo in Season 2, Episode 10 during Luthen's early days of rebel activities with Kleya.
Star Wars: Starfighter will premiere in theaters on May 28, 2027. Joining Gosling, Adams, and Gray in the stacked cast are Mia Goth, Matt Smith, and Aaron Pierre.
Naboo's Possible Inclusion in Star Wars: Starfighter Has a Deeper Meaning
Star Wars: Starfighter's possible inclusion of Naboo has a deeper meaning because it could provide a hint that a brand-new emerging threat could come from the planet. This new threat coming from Naboo, similar to how Emperor Palpatine is a native of the planet, could see Starfighter become a starting point for a brand-new saga if done right.
There is also a chance that Ryan Gosling and Flynn Gray's characters in Starfighter could simply be passing along Naboo during their galactic adventure, potentially using the planet as a hiding place until the threat dies down.
Given Naboo's importance in the political landscape of the galaxy, it's possible that the planet became one of the central locations or diplomatic hub where the Resistance decided to establish the replacement for the restored New Republic. This would hint that the other characters portrayed by the other actors could be political figures who are either helping Gosling's character or in pursuit of him in the movie.
All in all, Naboo's importance in the larger Star Wars picture will be reignited in Star Wars: Starfighter, potentially leading to unearthing more secrets tied to the previous Skywalker Saga that would give new meaning to future stories.
