Star Wars Starfighter: First image and new cast members confirmed

New details about the upcoming "Star Wars" film "Starfighter": Now that it has been known for a while that Ryan Gosling will be taking on the lead role, Lucasfilm has now announced more actors. They also shared the first picture from the set: filming has officially begun!

Amy Adams and Aaron Pierre in "Starfighter"

One of the new cast members is Hollywood star Amy Adams. The actress is best known for her leading role in Denis Villeneuve's acclaimed "Arrival". She was also seen in "American Hustle" and in several DC films as Lois Lane. The cast also includes "Rebel Ridge" star Aaron Pierre, "The Inbetweeners" actor Simon Bird, "The Gentlemen" actor Daniel Ings and Jamael Westman, who has previously been seen in smaller productions.

A central role is played by the young Flynn Gray, who can be seen together with Ryan Gosling in the published picture. The two of them are sitting on some sort of speeder on the "Starfighter" set. According to the industry portal The Hollywood Reporter, Gray plays the protégé of Gosling's character. He has to protect him from dark pursuers. One of the pursuers will probably be played by Mia Goth. Meanwhile, the film's main villain will be portrayed by "House of the Dragon" star Matt Smith. Amy Adams could be seen as the boy's mother.

Eva Mendes is probably also part of the cast

As reported by Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman, Gosling's wife Eva Mendes has been cast. According to him, she is also to play the wife of Gosling's character in "Starfighter". It would be a real comeback for the Hollywood star: Mendes has actually been retired from the acting business for some time. The actress is known for numerous films such as "The Place Beyond the Pines", "Training Day" and "Ghost Rider".

"Starfighter" is set five years after the events of "Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker". According to Lucasfilm, this is a previously unexplored period in the world of "Star Wars". The film is not part of the Skywalker saga, but tells an independent story with new characters.

"Starfighter" is being directed by "Deadpool & Wolverine" director Shawn Levy. The screenplay was written by Jonathan Tropper, who previously worked with Levy on the Netflix film "The Adam Project". A start date is already known: "Star Wars: Starfighter" will be in cinemas from May 28, 2027. One year before that, "Star Wars" fans will be able to see another film on the big screen: "The Mandalorian & Grogu" will be released on May 22, 2026. You can find all the information known so far in our film preview!

The new cast members of "Starfighter"

Amy Adams

Amy Adams has been one of Hollywood's most respected actresses for years. She has already been nominated for an Academy Award six times – in a wide variety of roles! In "Arrival", Adams impressively demonstrated how science fiction can also be emotionally moving. Her role as a linguist trying to communicate with extraterrestrial visitors earned her one of her Academy Award nominations.

She also proved her flair for complex characters with rough edges in "American Hustle", "The Fighter" and "Nocturnal Animals". She delivered one of her most intense performances in the HBO mini-series "Sharp Objects": As a journalist scarred by her past, she moved between psychological thriller and family drama. With her entry into the "Star Wars" universe, Amy Adams is now also part of one of the biggest franchises in film history – another milestone in her impressive career.

Aaron Pierre

Aaron Pierre is one of the most exciting newcomers of recent years. Pierre celebrated his breakthrough with the series "The Underground Railroad" by director Barry Jenkins. There he played the character Caesar. The series was critically acclaimed and made Pierre known to a wide audience. Most recently, he attracted attention in the hard-hitting Netflix film "Rebel Ridge". Pierre has also been signed as a lead actor for the new DC series "Lanterns". You can find the first details here.

Eva Mendes

Mendes had her breakthrough in the early 2000s – with "Training Day" alongside Denzel Washington, among others. The tough cop drama is now generally recognized as a modern classic of the genre. This was followed by blockbusters such as "2 Fast 2 Furious", in which she starred as undercover agent Monica Fuentes. Her CV also includes romantic comedies such as "Hitch" with Will Smith.

In "The Place Beyond the Pines", a multi-layered family drama with Ryan Gosling, she once again showed her serious, dramatic side. It will be interesting to see how big her role in "Starfighter" will be. After all, she has not been officially confirmed (unlike the other actors). So it's possible that it could just be a guest appearance or a smaller role.