Ryan Gosling has always vowed he would never join a major pre-established franchise -- like Marvel, Star Trek or Star Wars -- projects he deliberately steered clear of for years because they "never felt right" to him. He admitted why he'd finally given in and accepted a starring role in Star Wars: Starfighter.
While on a press tour to promote his movie Project Hail Mary, which debuts in theaters nationwide Friday, March 20, Ryan said, "It was Shawn's enthusiasm and his vision and the script. And I just avoided these things because they never felt right. And I'm glad I did because I feel like, [similar to] a book like this, [it was] worth waiting for. And it is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Shawn Levy described the movie, saying, "It's not a sequel. It's not a prequel. It's a standalone adventure with new characters, taking place in a new time period."
Ryan added that after he accepted the role, "My mother actually sent me a picture of my Star Wars sheets; I had them at five. You know you're probably dreaming about Star Wars before you ever saw it. This script is so good -- it's so filled with horror and humor and adventure."
Star Wars: Starfighter releases in theaters on May 28, 2027. ~Alexandra Heilbron