Writer Jonathan Tropper Rules Out Return of Legacy Characters in New ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ Film

Jonathan Tropper on Starfighter: “We have no legacy characters”

Get ready, Star Wars fans, because the next chapter in the franchise, Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy, is scheduled to hit theaters near you on May 28th 2027.

Plot details for the upcoming
film remain under wraps, but official reports have confirmed several key details regarding its development and production, including that it’s set five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker and will feature an all-new cast of characters never before seen in a Star Wars film.

While speaking to ScreenRant, writer Jonathan Tropper dropped key information about Starfighter that were previously unknown.

Tropper, who seemingly appeared to tread lightly during the interview, especially since Kathleen Kennedy stepped down as President of Lucasfilm and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and President and General Manager Lynwen Brennan were picked to jointly succeed her at the studio, was able to shed only a little more context and reaffirmation about the standalone film.

The New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels said that expanding and evolving the franchise in a new direction was always Director Levy’s goal when he signed on for the film, and that the filmmaker wanted to “tell a completely new story,” one that has never been seen before, stating that they “weren’t bound by any structures of the past movies,” and as such were able to avoid having to include too many familiar elements, namely returning characters.

“Obviously, lightsabers are a part of that universe and that part of that galaxy. I’m so careful not to reveal anything, but essentially, I think it’s known that we have no legacy characters. You’re not going to see any of the characters you’ve seen in the other movies. So there are certain things that are still hallmarks of Star Wars that it’s good to have in there. But more than that, I can’t say.”

Details surrounding the lack of legacy characters Tropper mentioned haven’t stopped multiple rumors and reports that Daisy Ridley could return as Jedi Master Rey Skywalker in the upcoming film.

Ridley, who has recently been outspoken in various interviews regarding her return to the galaxy far, far away, reiterated in an interview with USA Today that even though she can’t confirm a return in 2026, she says it will be sometime “in the future.” Interestingly, though her comments come despite the shake-up at Lucasfilm.

Tropper also revealed that he helped design the big lightsaber battle in the film, yes, the Tom Cruise-directed scene from a few weeks ago when the Mission: Impossible star unexpectedly dropped in for a set visit and took the camera over for a scene or two. Apparently, he’s a huge Cruise fan, but unfortunately, he didn’t get to see the actor shoot the scene and was “bummed” and “couldn’t believe he missed” him.

Will the lightsaber battle that he spoke about involve one or both of the movie’s antagonist characters, Matt Smith or Mia Goth, rumored from the film’s production to be playing Sith characters in the film? Before we get excited, it’s important to remember that none of this, other than the actors signing on, has been officially confirmed or denied. But for context, it was rumored last October that Starfighter will heavily feature Jedi. So why wouldn’t the Sith return?

Of course, with Filoni and Brennan taking over as the new leaders of the company, replacing 14 years of Kennedy’s leadership, you just never know what the future holds. But if Tropper’s and Ridley’s simultaneous comments prove anything, it’s that things are currently still in a state of flux.

If there’s one thing that Star Wars from the past has taught, it’s that nothing is set until the film is in the can and ready for its theatrical release. Many of you probably remember director Gareth Edwards’ last-minute addition of the beloved Darth Vader hallway fight scenes from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, filmed during reshoots because the crew felt the movie needed a stronger ending—an addition that’s still one of the most talked-about things on social media platforms. That specific reason alone is why you can never quite fully rule out a Rey Skywalker return.

One positive note before I go, Tropper spoke to Moviefone this week while promoting his latest film and was asked about what it was like writing a Star Wars film.

“Every bit as exciting as I hoped it would be, and it is also a lot more work than I thought it would be. It was really one of the probably toughest, most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. It’s just so much bigger than anything I’ve done because of the history, because of the mythology, and because of the apparatus that comes with it. It was always exciting and had a million pinch me moments but at the same time, it was a lot of work.” He said.

He also stated that the goal of the film has always been to return to the essence of what made Star Wars fun as a child.

“We really wanted adventure, excitement, wish fulfillment, and the joy that we felt as little kids seeing those first versions of the movies. Anything that grows for generations develops a lot more mythology and weight in history. I think we just wanted to go back to the joy and excitement of how it felt when we were kids seeing these movies,” he concluded.

May the Force be with you….