Shawn Levy Draws Parallels Between Star Wars: Starfighter and Stranger Things

Shawn Levy, known for directing Deadpool and Wolverine, is set to take the helm of Star Wars: Starfighter, and he’s opening up about how his experience with Stranger Things is shaping his vision for the new film. Levy, who has worked on both massive franchises and character-driven stories, shared his thoughts on balancing the expectations that come with such a legendary universe.

If I’ve learned anything on Stranger Things, it ’s that you can get intimidated by the scale of franchise expectation. But you will lose your way if that’s your focus. I’ve learned the need to stay rooted in character, and themes and relationships on screen. Yes, there’s spectacle and scale, just like Stranger Things. And of course, Star Wars and Starfighter has spectacle and scale and adventure at a level I’ve never done in my whole career.

Levy emphasized that, while the new project will deliver the kind of visual spectacle fans expect, he’s just as focused on telling a story that feels personal and relatable.

But like Stranger Things, it’s also very much anchored in a human-scale character-sized story. I think that if I can balance the epic and the intimate the way the Duffers have with Stranger Things, I’ll make a movie and an original and new Star Wars adventure that can be really satisfying to fans and audiences.

Fresh Faces and a New Timeline

Starfighter will feature Ryan Gosling in the lead, joined by a cast that includes Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Amy Adams, Adam Pierre, and Flynn Gray. Levy has made it clear that this isn’t a sequel or prequel, but a completely original story set in a new era. He’s aiming to bring something different to the table, while still honoring the spirit of the franchise.

Levy described the film as an opportunity to introduce audiences to new characters and a fresh timeline.

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.

Legacy and Levity

Levy’s approach is rooted in the idea that, while the film will deliver on the action and adventure that fans crave, it will also offer moments of humor and warmth. He points to the original Star Wars film, A New Hope, as a touchstone for the kind of tone he hopes to achieve—one that balances excitement with genuine emotion.

Meanwhile, Stranger Things has recently wrapped up its run with the season 5 finale, closing out a chapter for both the show and Levy’s involvement. As he moves on to Starfighter, he’s carrying forward the lessons learned from working on a series that managed to blend the extraordinary with the everyday.

For those eager to see what’s next in the Star Wars universe, Starfighter promises to deliver a new adventure that’s both epic in scale and deeply personal in its storytelling.