AceShowbiz - The "Star Wars" universe is set to expand once more with a new standalone film, "Star Wars: Starfighter," headlined by Ryan Gosling and directed by Shawn Levy. The announcement was made by Lucasfilm's President Kathleen Kennedy and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni at the annual "Star Wars" Celebration in Tokyo.

The news came just after reports that Oscar winner Mikey Madison turned down a role in the project. Details of the role rejected by the "Anora" actress are unclear, but Gosling is expected to take on the lead role as Starfighter.

Scheduled for release on May 28, 2027, "Starfighter" will be hitting theaters only three weeks after another highly anticipated Disney title, "Avengers: Secret Wars," which opens on May 7, 2027. This strategic scheduling underscores Disney's confidence in its high-profile projects.

The film will be set five years after the events of 2019's "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" and is described as an "entirely new adventure" featuring "all-new characters set in a period of time that has not been explored on screen yet." Speaking to excited fans, Levy emphasized the uniqueness of this project, stating, "This is not a prequel, this is not a sequel. It's a new adventure."

Gosling, who appeared on stage at the celebration event, shared his enthusiasm, saying, "Being here and seeing all of you [makes it] more inspiring to do it. There's so much creativity and imagination in this room and there's so much love. It's such a great reminder of how much movies can mean to us, specifically how much these movies mean to us."

He humorously referenced his childhood connection to "Star Wars}, with a photo of his old Star Wars-themed bedsheets projected behind him. "She still has them, obviously," Gosling joked about his mom sending the picture, "Naturally, she thought that it might be something that the fans would appreciate, but I suspect that she just sort of wants to justify years of hoarding."

Though the plot details remain closely guarded, the movie is being described as rich in heart and adventure. The script, penned by Jonathan Tropper, who has collaborated with Levy on previous projects, is generating a buzz in Hollywood casting circles. The film will reportedly include a teenaged actor playing opposite Gosling, along with male and female villains.

"Star Wars: Starfighter" is poised to inject a fresh perspective into the "Star Wars" lore, exploring new timelines and characters. As Gosling aptly put it, "The force is a mysterious thing, but, as I'm here, the force is the fans. All we can hope for is, 'May the fans be with us.' "