Film news: New Ryan Gosling-led ‘Star Wars’ lands superstar composer
Star Wars: Starfighter (2027) from Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy has confirmed Thomas Newman as its composer.
The 15-time Oscar nominee Newman will soundtrack the space opera starring Ryan Gosling, Matt Smith, and Mia Goth.
Film New Blitz’s RC Stacey reports on Levy’s giddy reaction to this latest development.
Thomas Newman will score new ‘Star Wars’ adventure
Shawn Levy, best known for directing Deadpool & Wolverine and exec-producing Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things, has unveiled during an interview on the On Film… with Kevin McCarthy podcast that Newman, composer of Shawshank Redemption, Finding Nemo, and American Beauty, among many others, has agreed to score his Disney standalone Star Wars adventure.
Levy, as quoted during the podcast, was abuzz with excitement.
“So, I called up Tom Newman. You don’t understand, I’m a fan. …he said, ‘Send me the script, and describe your vision.’ And I did both those things, and it was yes.
“And I’m so stoked. … I’m so excited about it.”
This will mark Newman’s first foray into the Star Wars series, which boasts composers such as John Williams and Michael Giacchino in its musical legacy.
Newman is every bit their equal, with his aforementioned credits speaking for themselves.
The future of ‘Star Wars’
As Stranger Things debuts its fifth and final season on Netflix, Levy has been fielding questions about what’s on his creative horizon, namely, the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter film.
Slated for a May 28, 2027, release, Starfighter is a standalone adventure starring Gosling, Smith, and Goth, set five years after the last theatrically released film, The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
The film also stars Aaron Pierre, Amy Adams, Daniel Ings, Simon Bird and youngster Flynn Gray.
The critical reception to The Rise of Skywalker forced franchise custodians Disney back to the drawing board, who eventually courted fans back to the internationally adored franchise through successful TV shows, The Mandalorian (whose big-screen debut starring Pedro Pascal releases in 2026) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’s prequel, Andor.
Beginning in 1977 with creator George Lucas, the Star Wars saga has become one of the most recognisable and adored franchises in the world.
READ MORE: Netflix news: ‘Stranger Things’ season five finale is coming to cinemas
Across 11 feature films, the now Disney-owned blockbuster tentpole has grossed over $10 billion worldwide, second only to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and has found homes in the hearts of fans through innumerable video games, toys, spin-off TV shows, and novelisations/comic books.
With a feature film on the horizon courtesy of Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit director Taika Waititi, a standalone entry following Daisy Ridley’s Rey, a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg, plus films from James Mangold and Dave Filoni, the future of Star Wars in cinemas looks set to be in safe hands.
Which new Star Wars film are you looking forward to most?
READ NEXT: Film news: James Cameron prepared to end ‘Avatar’ franchise after ‘Fire and Ash’
