New BTS Photo from Star Fighter

Shawn Levy marked Ryan Gosling’s birthday with a surprise gift to Star Wars fans—a brand-new behind-the-scenes image from the upcoming film Star Wars: Starfighter. Shared on Levy’s Instagram story, the photo doesn’t reveal much at first glance, but it does offer just enough to fuel speculation about the long-anticipated project.

The image appears to come from the same sequence as the early first-look still released a few months back: Gosling, suited up and focused, standing against a backdrop of shimmering water and metallic scaffolding. The recurring location has fans wondering whether Levy’s film will take place largely on or around an aquatic world. After years of desert landscapes dominating the saga—from Jakku to Pasaana—the idea of plunging into a water-based environment feels like a refreshing shift. A story set among rolling seas or storm-tossed oceans opens the door to new species, new cultures, and perhaps long-awaited lore expansions around races like the Nautolans.

Plot details for Starfighter remain a tightly sealed secret. What we do know is that it’s set roughly five years after The Rise of Skywalker, yet Levy insists it is neither a sequel nor a prequel to any corner of the Skywalker saga or the New Republic timeline. That blank-slate approach—unburdened by legacy characters or existing story threads—has some fans more excited for this film than even The Mandalorian and Grogu, which arrives first.

With a cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, Mia Goth, Matt Smith, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Daniel Ings, Jamael Westman, and Amy Adams, Star Wars: Starfighter is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing new entries of the Disney era.

The film is currently in production and is set to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.