Jamael Westman

Why this matters: Revealed on stage by director Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling at Lucasfilm/Disney's own D23 Expo presentation, and published directly by StarWars.com -- the studio's own outlet.

Evidence

• mentionsCBR · 2026-08-15 — Star Wars: Starfighter Unveils Official Poster and New Plot Details at D23

  “Independent press coverage of the same D23 reveal: Flynn Gray's character discovers a decommissioned G17 starfighter, and Kade asks, "Didn't I tell you not to touch anything?"”

• supportsStarWars.com · 2026-08-15 — Ryan Gosling is Kade Auberon in Star Wars: Starfighter

  “Ryan Gosling, on Kade Auberon: "Kade is a guy from the wrong side of the galaxy, whose fate is intertwined with the fastest starfighter ever built."”

Why this matters: Starfighter's own screenwriter, Jonathan Tropper, directly and on the record denied the rumor, stating the film's characters are entirely new to Star Wars.

Evidence

• contradictsSuperHeroHype · 2026-01-26 — Popular Star Wars: Starfighter Rumor Debunked by Writer

  “Starfighter writer Jonathan Tropper, on the record: "You're not going to see any of the characters you've seen in the other movies."”

• supportsInside the Magic · 2025-09-29 — 'Star Wars' Daisy Ridley Rumored To Return Alongside Ryan Gosling in 'Starfighter'

  “According to rumors reported by YouTube channel Echo Base Network, Daisy Ridley may reprise her role as Rey Skywalker in the upcoming film Starfighter... "nothing has been confirmed by Disney and Lucasfilm, so these rumors are best taken with a huge pinch of Crait salt."”

Claim history

unconfirmed → debunked

Why this matters: A second, independent outlet (MovieWeb) reports the wrap and third-act rewrite directly from Levy's own Instagram post and a separate interview, without citing ScreenRant's report -- two independently sourced outlets now support the production timeline, though still no official Lucasfilm/studio statement.

Evidence

• supportsScreenRant · 2025-11-11 — Star Wars: Starfighter Movie Gets New Production Update

  “"The shoot's going well, and as you know, we're a little over halfway done. I'll be back on that set Monday morning." -- Shawn Levy, in an exclusive interview.”

• supportsMovieWeb · 2025-12-18 — 'Star Wars: Starfighter' Gets Major Filming Update After Extensive Rewrites

  “Shawn Levy on the third-act rewrite: "We had a whole different idea for something in the third act, and then things didn't align," and he was "forced to come up with a new idea," calling the revised ending "so much better." Production wrapped in December 2025 and the film entered post-production.”

Claim history

reported → corroborated

Why this matters: A single first-hand interview (ScreenRant, quoting director Shawn Levy directly) places production just past the halfway point; not an official Lucasfilm production update.

Evidence

• supportsScreenRant · 2025-11-11 — Star Wars: Starfighter Movie Gets New Production Update

  “"The shoot's going well, and as you know, we're a little over halfway done. I'll be back on that set Monday morning." -- Shawn Levy, in an exclusive interview.”

Claim history

reported → corroborated

Why this matters: Sourced only to a YouTube leak channel (Echo Base Network) and further second-hand plot speculation; the reporting outlet itself frames it as unconfirmed rumor ("best taken with a huge pinch of Crait salt"), with no official Disney/Lucasfilm confirmation.

Evidence

• supportsInside the Magic · 2025-09-29 — 'Star Wars' Daisy Ridley Rumored To Return Alongside Ryan Gosling in 'Starfighter'

  “According to rumors reported by YouTube channel Echo Base Network, Daisy Ridley may reprise her role as Rey Skywalker in the upcoming film Starfighter... "nothing has been confirmed by Disney and Lucasfilm, so these rumors are best taken with a huge pinch of Crait salt."”

Claim history

unconfirmed → debunked

Why this matters: Explicitly framed by the reporting outlet as a theory inferred from matching real-world filming geography, not an official or sourced claim about the film's in-story setting.

Evidence

• supportsThe Direct · 2025-09-19 — Star Wars Starfighter Filming Location Hints at Return to Iconic Prequel Planet, Naboo

  “Scenes from Naboo were also filmed on the same location [as Starfighter's Mediterranean shoot] -- circumstantial evidence, not a definitive announcement, that the film could return to the prequel-era planet.”