Shawn Levy Talks His Star Wars Starfighter Film | Oscar Isaac Open to a Return

_{“From the day Kathy Kennedy called me up, inviting me to develop an original adventure in this incredible Star Wars galaxy, this experience has been a dream come true, creatively and personally.” – Shawn Levy}

_{Courtesy of Lucasfilm}

The final battle in The Rise of Skywalker is the Battle of Exegol, a massive space engagement between the Resistance and the First Order’s Sith fleet. The battle concludes with a ground confrontation where Rey, joined by a redeemed Ben Solo, faces off against the resurrected Emperor Palpatine. Rey defeats Palpatine by channeling the power of all the past Jedi, but is killed in the process, only to be revived by Ben, who then dies. The Exegol battle was another turning point in galactic history, and the sequel trilogy revealed it was quite significant.

Courtesy of Lucasfilm

The period between The Rise of Skywalker and Starfighter is five years, as the film is said to be set after the end of Episode IX. This places it in a new, previously unexplored period of the Star Wars timeline and may become part of the New Jedi Order era, but this has not yet been officially confirmed. Beyond those basics, we know very little about the plot of the movie right now, as Lucasfilm has only revealed a production photo and one snapshot from the set.

_{AP image}


While Starfighter is set to build more of the Star Wars universe, Shawn Levy, the Deadpool and Wolverine director told Collider it’s an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure that includes legacy themes, and gives audiences a fresh new look.

“Well, for one thing, it is different in that it is an all-new non-sequel, non-prequel adventure. It’s new characters, it’s a new timeline. It inherits legacy themes, but it’s really trying to give Star Wars [fans] — and just movie audiences — something fresh, something new. And with a spirit of play and big-hearted adventure with moments of real levity that, frankly, A New Hope had in a revolutionary way,” he said.

_{Courtesy of Variety online}

The filmmaker also went on to say,

“We’re really trying to sort of take that tone as a North Star every day. My crew, my DP, Claudio Miranda, Gosling is my kind of central collaborator in the lead role. It’s certainly been a dream come true. My 10-year-old self is on set with me every day. In fact, he’s going to catch a flight tonight to go back to the set and keep shooting on Monday. But it’s a huge invigorating opportunity because Lucasfilm has been so encouraging of me doing something new. There’s no pressure to be derivative or limited by an obligation to what came before. There’s just a love of what came before.”

Levy who’s currently on break from shooting Starfighter and is out promoting the final season of Stranger Things, said in a separate interview with EW that he shares a deep love and respect for Star Wars history.

“It is surreal and awesome every day walking onto this set, to have made up a new and original Star Wars story that is neither a sequel nor a prequel to anything.”

_{Courtesy of Lucasfilm}

“I have deep respect and love for this historic legacy, but a chance to do something fresh and original and to do it with Jonathan Tropper, the writer of The Adam Project, and with Gosling. Every day it’s hard as hell, but it’s dream-come-true territory every day,” he added.

_{Courtesy of Lucasfilm}

One other bit of news, via a GQ interview published Monday, Oscar Isaac, Star Wars The Force Awakens, says he is open to returning to the film series but is doubtful about Disney after they suspended Jimmy Kimmel.

Isaac said,“I’d be open to it, although right now I’m not so open to working with Disney. But if they can kinda figure it out and, you know, not succumb to fascism, that would be great.”

“But if that happens, then yeah, I’d be open to having a conversation about a galaxy far away,” Isaac added. “Or any number of other things.”

The film’s all-star cast includes Ryan Gosling, Flynn Gray, and Matt Smith (“House of the Dragon”) along side, Mia Goth (“Frankenstein”), Aaron Pierre (“Rebel Ridge,” “Lanterns”), Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, and Amy Adams (“Arrival”).

May the Force be with you..

_{Courtesy of Lucasfilm}