Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: star wars news

  • Rumor: Ryan Gosling’s ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ to Launch New Trilogy

    Rumor: Ryan Gosling’s ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ to Launch New Trilogy

    Production is underway on director Shawn Levy‘s Star Wars: Starfighter and while little has officially been revealed about the film outside of the main cast, there are plenty of reason for fans of the galaxy far, far away to get excited about the project, which is due in theaters in 2027.

    Ryan Gosling was confirmed as the film’s star during Star Wars Celebration Japan, making good on months of rumors that the A-lister was set to join the franchise. Matt Smith, who joined the cast in August as “the next great villain in the Star Wars universe,”and Mia Goth, who was cast in June, are set to antagonize Gosling‘s character, who is rumored to be protecting his Force-sensitive nephew, played by Flynn Gray.

    Billed as”an all-new standalone adventure,” Star Wars: Starfighter has been described as “an entirely original story set in a period of time never before explored in Star Wars.” Despite that description, there’s a growing belief online that Gosling‘s character will be tasked by Amy Adam‘s character with safely delivering his nephew to someone who can train him to use the Force and now a pair of new rumors have renewed hope that he’ll be delivered to a very familiar face.

    According to My Time To Shine Hello, despite Lucasfilm’s designating Star Wars: Starfighter as a stand alone project, the film will include a “big cameo” and is meant to launch a new trilogy.

    Given the rumors about the project, it’s easy to imagine that Gosling‘s mission in the film is to safely deliver his nephew to Rey Skywalker’s New Jedi Academy, which would allow Daisy Ridley to cameo, setting up a New Jedi Order trilogy.

    After being announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Lucasfilm’s Daisy Ridley-led New Jedi Order era film seemed to quickly gather momentum, at one point being the favorite to launch the studio’s plans to bring its galaxy far, far away back to theaters. Set to “tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down,” the Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy-directed project was reportedly far enough along that Lucasfilm considered a 2025 release. Things changed quickly, however, as creative teams came and went and by November 2024, the film’s release was delayed indefinitely despite reports that the studio believes Ridley is its “most valuable cinematic asset.” By mid-2025, the film was reportedly pushed even further down the queue, with Starfighter and James Mangold‘s Jedi Prime film being proritized.

    Connecting the available dots, it begins to seem very reasonable that Starfighter might serve as a Rogue One-esque prequel to Ridley‘s trilogy, setting the stage for the New Jedi Order era. Of course, as Star Wars fans continue to grow increasingly frustrated with the franchise’s inability to bring ideas to fruition, nothing on that front will truly matter until production begins on Ridley’s project.

  • ‘Andor’ Creator Comment Sparks Canon Controversy

    ‘Andor’ Creator Comment Sparks Canon Controversy

    Tony Gilroy unquestionably created something singular and exceptional in Andor. Only after watching both seasons in their entirety  can the full weight of what Andor truly is be felt: it is the most important project in the overall mythos of the Star Wars universe. And by and large, it stands as one of the most well-received projects in the expansive Star Wars universe; however, there’s nothing a growing sect of Star Wars fans hate more than Star Wars–especially if it’s made by Disney–and that even applies to something otherwise universally recognized as epic as Andor.

    Following a set-up in Season 1, the sophomore season of Andor dove deep into the canonically pre-established Ghorman Massacre. During a top secret Imperial retreat at the Maltheen Divide, Ben Mendelssohn‘s Orson Krennic lays bare the Empire’s plan to destabilize Ghorman through any means necessary to allow Emperor Palpatine to establish energy independence. As is Gilroy’s way, some of the time spent on Ghorman also serves to establish the planet’s culture, including the ghorlectipod silk industry that allowed it to become the center of the Galaxy’s fabric and fashion industries. The investment into details about the planet’s history and its people by Gilroy made the massacre by the Empire that much more impactful and in a new interview with Titan Magazine’s Star Wars Insider, Gilroy revealed another such detail that amplifies the evil of the Emperor.

    Tony Gilroy and Genevieve O’Reilly on the set of Lucasfilm’s ANDOR Season 2, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    According to Gilroy, after eventually strip mining Ghorman and turning it into a virtual hellscape, Sleepy Sheev Palpatine had his black robes made of Ghorman twill. It’s a small detail, to be sure, but a disgustingly evil one. And it riled up some fans.

    After Star Wars Holocron shared the detail on X, fans expressed their problems with the new detail. The gist of the grief seems to stem from the obviously incredibly well-known fact that Palpatine’s robes were made from Zeyd cloth and/or that someone other than George Lucas dared to make an official statement about something in the Star Wars universe.

    https://twitter.com/LocalElfKiller/status/1958073289005293954?t=XmkR9Nss2pTBhfwMQRUjjg&s=19

    Concerning himself with Palpatine’s robes is the kind of thinking that allowed Gilroy to make Andor into foundational Star Wars. Even if his statement retcons the fabric from which the Emperor’s new clothes are made, it isn’t as if Lucas himself hasn’t retconned countless things for far less interesting reasons. But, as they say, haters gonna hate…hate…hate…hate.

  • Lucasfilm Reportedly Force Pushes Once-Prized Star Wars Project Down the Queue…Again

    After being announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023, Lucasfilm’s Daisy Ridley-led New Jedi Order era film seemed to quickly gather momentum, at one point being the favorite to launch the studio’s plans to bring its galaxy far, far away back to theaters. Set to “tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down,” the Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy-directed project was reportedly far enough along that Lucasfilm considered a 2025 release. Things changed quickly, however, as creative teams came and went and by November 2024, the film’s release was delayed indefinitely despite reports that the studio believes Ridley is its “most valuable cinematic asset.” Now a new report indicates that the project may be facing another delay.

    According to insider Daniel Richtman, Ridley’s film has been bumped down the queue again “as both the Shawn Levy and James Mangold Star Wars films are moving forward first.“

    Levy’s film, Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, was announced at Star Wars Japan in April and is expected to  begin production this Fall ahead of a 2027 release. In many ways, Starfighter seems to be on the path Lucasfilm once hoped the New Jedi Order film would follow.

    Mangold’s film, like the Ridley-led project, was announced at SWCE ’23 and will also take place in an all-new era of stories, set 25,000 years before the “present day” era of The New Republic. The film, referred to by fans as the “Jedi Prime” project, will tell “the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression.”

    As it stands now, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter are the only two films with set release dates, hitting theaters on May 22, 2026 and May 28, 2027, respectively.

  • Lucasfilm Confirms Development of Several Star Wars Theatrical Projects

    Lucasfilm Confirms Development of Several Star Wars Theatrical Projects

    The official announcement that Ryan Gosling was on board to lead Shawn Levy‘s Star Wars: Starfighter rightfully stole the show at Star Wars Celebration Japan. As A-list as it gets, Gosling‘s casting is a bit of an oddity for a franchise that looks to create stars, not cast them, so the repoers of Lucasfilm targeting him caught fans off guard and with so many projects going by the wayside, it seemed possible–even likely–that Levy’s film may never get made.  With production set to kick off thos fall ahead of a May 28, 2027 release, it seems Starfighter is indeed happening and it won’t be alone.

    As part of an official release via StarWars.com, Lucasfilm has confirmed that sic additional theatrical projects remain in active development at the studio.

    One of several theatrical projects still in development from Lucasfilm, including films by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi and a new trilogy by Simon Kinberg, Levy’s film — Star Wars: Starfighter — will star Gosling and go into production starting this fall.

    First announced at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2023, the Daisy Ridley-led New Jedi Order era film set to be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was once expected to launch Star Wars back into theaters before experiencing some difficulties getting off the ground and being pulled from the release schedule. In January, The Bourne Ultimatum and The Banker scribe George Nolfi became the film’s third known lead writer and there’s been no news since, making the film’s inclusion in the official release a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one.

    Like the Obaid-Chinoy film, director James Mangold‘s Dawn of the Jedi era/Jedi Prime project was first announced at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Referred to as “Star Wars Zero” by Mangold, the project will be set in “the deep past, telling the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression.” It’s been over a year since it was revealed that Andor co-writer Beau Willimon had come on board to co-write the film, which fans had begun to fear had made its way down the chute and into the trash compactor.

    Taika is on Taika time. I’ve just continually said to him, look, when you feel that you’re ready and you can really devote the time, we’re going to do it. We’ll be waiting. I’m just hoping we get there. That will be a great Star Wars movie.

    –Kathleen Kennedy on the status of Taika Waititi’s Star Wars film

    While nothing official has been revealed about the project, a Star Wars film written and directed by Taika Waititi has been in development since May of 2020. The film was originally expected to begin production in 2023 but was pushed back as Waititi continued to work on other projects such as Thor: Love and Thunder and Klara and the Sun. Star Wars boss Kathleen Kennedy also revealed that Poor Things scribe Tony McNamara is working on the script for the film she says will ultimately be “a great Star Wars movie.”

    We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously. That has gone exceptionally well, and he’s literally going to script as we speak. We’ll see something probably around June. Simon, if you remember, he did some work with us years ago with the animated show, which was a really wonderful collaborative experience. And he then got very, very busy with X-Men and then recently became available again, and he segued into this space beautifully. We’re really excited about where that’s headed.

    -Kathleen Kennedy on Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars Saga trilogy

    Finally, the press release confirmed that work remains ongoing on the trilogy in the works from Star Wars Rebels co-creator Simon Kinberg. In February 2024, Kennedy explained that the new trilogy would be “the next iteration, the new saga that moves us into the future” of the Star Wars franchise.

    Source: Deadline, Screen Rant, StarWars.com

  • SWC Japan: Fan-Favorite Baddie Set for 2026 Return in ‘Maul-Shadow Lord’

    SWC Japan: Fan-Favorite Baddie Set for 2026 Return in ‘Maul-Shadow Lord’

    Sith apprentice Darth Maul was the face of Lucasfilm’s marketing for 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I-The Phantom Menace. The vengeful Dathormirian lined the shelves of Toys “R” Us and was prominently featured in the studio’s posters and trailers, giving fans the idea that he’d become the trilogy’s Darth Vader. And then he was cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi in what was nothing short of one of the cruelest twists George Lucas has ever deployed.

    When Lucas’ plan to bring Maul back from what seemed like certain death in Star Wars Episode II-Attack of the Clones didn’t work out, the character found new life in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Rebels, becoming one of the studio’s most well-developed and tragic characters. With Lucasfilm deciding not to follow up on Solo and with Maul finally put to rest by Obi-Wan Kenobi, it seemed as though the studio had finally put a bow on the fan-favorite character’s story but as revealed at Star Wars Celebration Japan, more Maul is on the way.

    Now in production and headed to D+ in 2026, Star Wars: Maul-Shadow Lord, set after the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, will follow Maul as he “rises again to lead the underworld factions.”

    Sam Witer will return to voice Maul in the new Lucasfilm animated series which looks to make good on The Creator’s original plan to make Maul “the godfather of crime in the universe.” According to StarWars.com, Maul-Shadow Lord will tell the story of Maul as he attempts to “rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.” In that way, the new series should serve as a prequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story, which revealed Maul as the head of Crimson Dawn.

  • Lucasfilm’s Targeting Computer Locking in on Ryan Gosling to Lead Shawn Levy’s Untitled Star Wars Movie

    Lucasfilm’s Targeting Computer Locking in on Ryan Gosling to Lead Shawn Levy’s Untitled Star Wars Movie

    Never tell me the odds! In a near unprecedented move for Lucasfilm, the studio has entered into negotiations with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars to lead its next Star Wars film. According to THR, Ryan Gosling is preparing to board director Shawn Levy‘s long-developing Star Wars film.

    Despite a steady stream of Star Wars projects heading down the garbage chute (fly boy), THR’s report indicates that should Gosling and Lucasfilm come to terms on a deal, production on Levy‘s film–which he’s been developing since 2022–will go into production this Fall.

    With production on The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will lead a new era of theatrical Star Wars projects, having recently wrapped, attention has turned toward Lucasfilm’s next film. While Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy‘s Rey-led film was originally expected to lead lead the charge back into theaters, the project has struggled to come together and was recently removed from Disney’s release schedule. And even as Dave Filoni and James Mangold continue development on their own untitled Star Wars films, it seems as though Levy’s film has jumped ahead in the queue and may end up filling the December 17, 2027 date Disney has set aside for Star Wars.

    Levy’s film will reportedly be a standalone project and not part of the Skywalker Saga. As it stands, it seems as though that honor will fall to the trilogy of films being developed by Simon Kinberg, the co-creator of Star Wars Rebels and a recurring villain from Fox’s X-Men films.

    Source: THR

  • Wild Rumor Points to a Fan-favorite Clone Wars Villain Appearing in ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’

    Wild Rumor Points to a Fan-favorite Clone Wars Villain Appearing in ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’

    Though set in the previously unexplored New Republic era, Lucasfilm’s D+ Star Wars series have included plenty of familiar faces. The studio’s creative grand admiral, Dave Filoni, has utilized The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka as vehicles to allow a dozen characters from a pair of animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, to make the jump to live-action.

    Appearances by Filoni faves such as Bo-Katan Kryze and Cad Bane, who played key roles in the animated series, have been largely well-received, though nothing pleases everyone, especially not the very divided Star Wars fandom. With plenty more projects to go before Filoni puts a bow on the Mandoverse, comes plenty of time to bring a few more animated favorites to life and an absolutely wild new rumor suggests that one of Star Wars: The Clone Wars deadliest bounty hunters will make his first live-action appearance in 2026.

    According to Kristian Harloff, Kyuzo bounty hunter Embo will reportedly have a major role as one of the main villains in director Jon Favreau‘s The Mandalorian and Grogu.

    Harloff’s report indicates that The Mandalorian and Grogu will feature Din Djarin and Grogu attempting to save Rotta the Hutt from Embo–voiced by Filoni–who has been hired to kidnap the offspring of Jabba. It was recently announced that Jeremy Allen White was set to portray Rotta (another Clone Wars character set to move into live-action) and there are some pretty wild theories and rumors out there about what’s become of the Hutt since last time he was seen.

    Of course, should this rumor turn out to be true, it would certainly make for a fun adventure but with the Shadow Council also set to appear, there will be more to the plot of The Mandalorian and Grogu than a kidnapping.

    The Mandalorian and Grogu will hit theaters on May 22, 2026.

    Source: YouTube

  • ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 Reportedly Enlisting Ewan McGregor for an Insane ‘Clone Wars’ Flashback

    ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 Reportedly Enlisting Ewan McGregor for an Insane ‘Clone Wars’ Flashback

    Through a series of flashbacks distorted by the power of The World Between Worlds, Ahsoka saw the return of Hayden Christensen as a younger, Clone Wars-era Anakin Skywalker. Fans revealed as Skyguy and Snips, played by Ariana Greenblatt, brought moments and character designs from the beloved animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, to live-action for the first time.

    With Ahsoka stranded on Peridea under the watchful presence of Anakin’s Force ghost, the return of Christensen for Season 2 of the D+ streaming series always seemed a certainty. And so when insiders, such as Daniel Richtman, reported that the actor was indeed on board for Season 2 of Ahsoka, it went largely unnoticed. However, a new report from Kristian Harloff has certainly captured the attention and imagination of fans, especially those who have a fondness for The Clone Wars animated series.

    (L-R): Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Ahsoka Tano (Ariana Greenblatt) in Lucasfilm’s STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    According to Harloff, not only is Christensen on board to return in Ahsoka Season 2, this time in a “pretty big role”, he will be joined not only by Greenblatt but also Ewan McGregor, who will reprise the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

    While the return of Kenobi is a surprise to be sure, the most likely scenario for having the character appear in even more exciting. In the Fall of 2024, McGregor explained that Lucasfilm was exploring ideas for a potential second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The star also expressed a sincere desire to reunite with Christensen and to do so in the armor the character wore in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. And while a second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi may not happen anytime soon, it’s very likely McGregor will get his wish to suit up in the armor alongside Christensen in Season 2 of Ahsoka.

    That armor! Putting on that armor would be a great joy. Then me and Hayden can really get back together.

    -Ewan McGregor

    Stranded! Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano are caught in the middle of a treacherous battle between good and evil. The scales now tip toward the dark side. Our three warriors must guard against attack as they plan their escape. A great weight has been placed on Anakin’s shoulders, for it is now that he must face who he really is…

    As seen in the closing moments of the season finale of Ahsoka, Peridea holds some connection to the Mortis gods. And while Baylan Skoll seemed much closer to stepping into that mystery than Ahsoka, the latter has a history with the mysterious beings–and one she shared with Anakin and Obi-Wan. While there’s no mention of it in Harloff’s report, it’s incredibly likely that Ahsoka and Star Wars: The Clone Wars creator Dave Filoni is planning to incorporate a live-action flashback to The Clone Wars three-episode Season 3 Mortis arc. If that is indeed Filoni’s intention, it would explain why Greenblatt would be returning alongside Christensen and McGregor, both of whom could otherwise appear as Force ghosts.

    Source: The Kristian Harloff Show

  • ‘Andor’ Creator Reveals Scrapped Plans for D+ Series

    ‘Andor’ Creator Reveals Scrapped Plans for D+ Series

    Lucasfilm’s D+ streaming series Andor was an immediate and improbable hit for the studio. Though Rogue One was relatively well-received when it hit theaters in 2016, it didn’t seem to fit the mold of the type of project either the studio heads or fans would be looking to explore further. As a direct prequel to Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope, Rogue One told the story of a group of Rebels willing to give it all to see the Death Star destroyed. They all died. We know what happens next. The end. Except it wasn’t and the galaxy far, far away is all the better for it.

    Following the anxiety-inducing Season 1 finale, Star Wars fans have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the second season of Andor.  With the recent announcement of its April 2025 release, Lucasfilm has already started what’s sure to be an all-out publicity blitz for the sophomore season which will flesh out the title character’s rise as one of the Galaxy’s most important revolutionaries. However, as fans prepare for the final 12 episodes, creator Tony Gilroy made a shocking admission about his original plans for the series.

    Andor, the acclaimed thriller, returns for its long-awaited conclusion. The twelve episodes of Season Two will carry the story of Cassian Andor and the emerging rebel alliance over the climactic four years that lead to the discovery of The Death Star and the events of Rogue  One. Season One followed Cassian’s reluctant journey from cynical nobody to revolutionary volunteer. Andor Season Two will see him transform from soldier to leader to hero on the way to his epic destiny. From the very first scene, Cassian’s story has activated an ever-widening ensemble of allies and enemies. Season Two will see these relationships intensify as the horizon of galactic war draws near. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound. Who will live to see their dream realized? Who will realize what that dream cost?

    -Official Synopsis for Andor: A Star Wars Story
    (L-R): Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna on the set of Lucasfilm’s ANDOR, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
    While discussing the second and final season of the streaming series with Empire, Gilroy revealed that he originally conceived of Andor as a five-season run consisting of 60 total episodes.

    Though Gilroy pitched Andor to Lucasfilm as a five-season series, it didn’t take long for him to realize he needed to reconsider. Gilroy explained to Empire that during the point in production on Season 1 where he started to think ahead to Season 2, the enormity of what he was planning to undertake hit him. “Oh my God, we are going to have to come up with another 12 hours of story?” he recalled thinking before realizing that another 36 hours would have to come after that. “So I was already panicked,” Gilroy shared. “We already said we were going to do five years, that was the concept. How do you get out of that?“

    Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ANDOR, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

    The solution, which crystalized while Gilroy and series star Diego Luna discussed “how fucked” they were, was to turn the second season into years 2 through 5 of the original plan. To do so, the season was shot in four blocks of three episodes each, each covering one year until they catch up to Rogue One‘s opening scene. “There’s no mystery about where we are going,” said Gilroy. “We are going to end up on that walk out to the ship with K-2 and go to the Rings of Kafrene and start Rogue One.”

    Though Andor‘s endpoint is known and plenty of familiar faces from Rogue One are set to appear in Season 2, the final 12 hours of the series may be the most anticipated content set in the galaxy far, far away in a long, long time. Andor: A Star Wars Story will premiere on Disney Plus on April 22, 2025.

    Source: Empire Magazine

  • Lucasfilm’s Rey-Centered Star Wars Film Delayed Indefinitely

    Lucasfilm’s Rey-Centered Star Wars Film Delayed Indefinitely

    Just days after a trade report revealed that a Lucasfilm insider called Daisy Ridley’s Rey the franchise‘s “most valuable cinematic asset” it’s clear that the studio’s prior plans for the character are no longer as in place as was believed. One of three films announced to be in development during Star Wars Celebration 2023, the Ridley-led New Jedi Order era film was once expected to launch the theatrical  return of the Star Wars franchise. However, following the exit of the project’s second writer and in the wake of some confusing news about the future of the franchise, it seems as though the project may not be as ready to move forward as once believed.

    Per a press release from Disney, the Untitled Star Wars film dated for December 18, 2026 has been pulled from the schedule.

    The news comes in the wake of the announcement that Simon Kinberg struck a deal with Lucasfilm to create a new trilogy of films which may or may not include Rey and may or may not be Episodes X, XI and XII. With the studio still determining what to do with Ridley’s Rey, it’s now unclear what projects will follow Jon Favreau‘s The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is due in theaters on May 22, 2026.

    Source: THR