Ryan Gosling’s ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ Teases the ‘Fastest Starfighter Ever Built’

Star Wars fans have a new ship to argue about, yet only the people inside Disney’s D23 showcase have seen it. A short clip from Ryan Gosling’s upcoming film includes a line that calls a retired Imperial craft the fastest starfighter ever built. Disney never released the clip officially, so everything we know comes from people who were in the room.

Film Overview & Cast Details

Film	Star Wars: Starfighter
Lead	Ryan Gosling as Kade Auberon
Director	Shawn Levy
Writer	Jonathan Tropper
Release date	May 28, 2027
Setting	About five years after The Rise of Skywalker
Trailer	No official trailer yet

What Happened at the D23 Starfighter Reveal?

Levy and Gosling introduced the clip on stage. Gosling described Kade as a man from “the wrong side of the galaxy” whose fate ties to the fastest starfighter ever built. Meanwhile, Levy promised humor, danger and spectacle, all held together by the joyful spirit of classic Star Wars.

Attendee accounts describe the footage like this. First, a young boy, played by newcomer Flynn Gray, pulls a tarp off a parked ship. Kade tells him to leave it alone. Then he explains that it’s a decommissioned G17 Imperial Reaper, “the fastest starfighter ever built.”

The clip reportedly includes a few other moments. For example, a craft skims across water, a character in a skull-print leather jacket carries an oversized weapon, and a montage shows mechanical work. Later, media reports said the teaser surfaced online, but Disney has not released it officially.

Does Starfighter Really Break a Star Wars Rule?

Not in any official sense. Star Wars has never had one agreed speed chart, because ship speeds shift between films, shows, games and guidebooks. A-wings and TIE interceptors, for instance, have long served as the franchise’s go-to speed machines.

So the line is a character’s claim inside a new story. It does not rewrite a franchise record. Still, the context makes it feel different.

Famously quick ships in the saga usually belong to military forces, like Kylo Ren’s TIE silencer in The Last Jedi. Here, however, the fastest ship is an old Imperial craft that sits in what looks like a workshop while a kid pokes at it. For once, speed doesn’t come with an army attached.

What Is Confirmed About the G17 Imperial Reaper, and What Isn’t?

Confirmed from the footage and stage remarks:

• The ship is a decommissioned G17 Imperial Reaper.
• Kade calls it the fastest starfighter ever built.
• Gosling says Kade’s fate ties to it.

Not confirmed:

• Whether Kade owns the ship or flies it throughout the film.
• Whether anyone has modified it.
• Why a retired Imperial design would beat newer ones.
• Any official specs or backstory.

These gaps are where the theories begin. An overlooked machine in an outsider’s hands sets up a hero who isn’t a Jedi and has no Skywalker connection. However, that is reading between the lines, not reporting.

Why Is Starfighter Such a Big Moment for Star Wars Right Now?

Timing, mostly. The franchise turns 50 next year, and Lucasfilm treats 2027 as a yearlong celebration. In fact, a restored version of the original 1977 film returns to theaters on February 19, a few months before Starfighter arrives.

Starfighter also follows The Mandalorian and Grogu, which opened in May 2026 as the first new Star Wars film in theaters since 2019. Moreover, it’s the first big-screen story that takes place after the sequel trilogy, and it steps away from the Skywalker family entirely. As a result, a new hero in an unexplored corner of the galaxy feels like a different pitch from another legacy sequel.

Who Is in the Cast of Star Wars: Starfighter?

Alongside Gosling, the confirmed cast includes Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings and Amy Adams. Gosling also serves as an executive producer.

Levy, best known for Deadpool & Wolverine, directs from a screenplay by Tropper. Beyond Kade’s outsider status, Lucasfilm keeps the plot details under wraps.

FAQs

Is Ryan Gosling going to be in Star Wars: Starfighter?

Yes. Gosling plays Kade Auberon, a brand-new character, not a returning hero from the earlier films.

Will we ever see Rey Skywalker again?

Lucasfilm has not announced Rey or Daisy Ridley for Starfighter. Because the film centers on a new cast, fans shouldn’t assume a cameo. Besides, nothing in the reported D23 footage points to one.

Is Star Wars 10 confirmed?

No. Lucasfilm has not announced a film officially titled Episode X. Instead, Starfighter works as a standalone adventure, not a numbered sequel.

What Star Wars movie is coming back to theaters in 2026?

The only new Star Wars release in theaters in 2026 was The Mandalorian and Grogu in May. Meanwhile, the restored 1977 original returns for a limited run on February 19, 2027.

Conclusion

Starfighter hasn’t shown much yet, but one line of dialogue already gives fans plenty to discuss. The G17 Imperial Reaper could become the engine of the story, or it could stay a great piece of set dressing. Either way, the film brings a new hero, a new era and a very fast mystery ship to theaters on May 28, 2027. Until an official trailer arrives, fans will keep guessing.