Star Wars: Starfighter’s Latest Rumor Seems Likely, & It’s Exactly What the Franchise Needs
Hopes were high for The Mandalorian and Grogu as Star Wars’ first movie in seven years, particularly because the most recent movie before The Mandalorian and Grogu was Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which continues to be seen as one of Star Wars’ worst movies. Unfortunately, while The Mandalorian and Grogu didn’t take quite the hit that The Rise of Skywalker did in terms of reception, it was largely seen as a flop at the box office. Now, all eyes are on Star Wars: Starfighter, which is not only Star Wars’ next theatrical release but also Star Wars’ only upcoming movie with a confirmed release date.
Many others, like New Jedi Order and Dawn of the Jedi, are theoretically in the works but have seemingly stalled, with very few updates coming over the last several years. There is significant pressure on Starfighter for that reason, and given that Starfighter’s release date is relatively soon—May 28, 2027—that pressure is mounting. However, there are multiple reasons for fans to keep up hope that this movie will be the addition that Star Wars movies and TV shows need, from the star-studded cast being led by Ryan Gosling to the fact that Starfighter will be set after The Rise of Skywalker and will therefore be the furthest into the Star Wars timeline we’ve gone on screen. And now, a new rumor has hinted that we may be getting an even bigger update very soon.
Starfighter’s First Trailer Is Rumored To Be on the Way
So far, audiences have only gotten a few sneak peeks at the upcoming movie through photos, but no teaser or trailer has been released. A new rumor suggests that is about to change, though, as the massive Disney fan event D23 is taking place this upcoming weekend, from Aug. 14 to 16. Fans are specifically theorizing that the trailer could be revealed to D23 attendees this weekend but wouldn’t be released to the broader public until Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters in December. While that might be disappointing to hear for Star Wars fans who won’t be at D23, it’s still very good news for the franchise overall, and it also seems more likely than not.
It would make perfect sense for D23 to be the event during which Disney unveils the first Starfighter trailer, especially because the next major event for Star Wars isn’t until Star Wars Celebration 2027, which will take place in April. Clearly, the franchise won’t wait that long to share the trailer (although it’s very likely a new one will be rolled out then), so D23 is the obvious choice for this debut. It also makes sense for the broader release to be held off until Doomsday, and that is in fact a pattern that major Disney franchises like Marvel and Star Wars have stuck to before.
Notably, this is also an absolutely crucial next step for Star Wars to take. Since The Mandalorian and Grogu, Star Wars has only had one on-screen release, Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi, and while that series was very well-received, it’s still a non-canon animated TV show and therefore is not going to draw in major crowds like a live-action blockbuster will. Getting a trailer during this period, which has been a remarkably quiet one for the galaxy far, far away, would definitely be the right call.
