Why Return of the Jedi is inspiring Star Wars: Starfighter, according to Shawn Levy
When directors talk about what inspired their take on a new Star Wars project, the safe answers are almost always the original film or The Empire Strikes Back. But Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy is drawing inspiration from the most divisive entry of the original trilogy. In a conversation with Kevin McCarthy, Levy revealed that Return of the Jedi is the film shaping his take on Starfighter.
Why Is Return of the Jedi the Biggest Inspiration for Star Wars: Starfighter?
“Let me tell you something,” Levy explained. “People – I’ve not said this out loud because everyone’s like ‘Which Star Wars movie is Starfighter the most like? Which is the most inspired by?’ If I’m being honest – I know the cool answer would be Empire, and sort of the inarguable answer would be A New Hope – but it’s kinda Jedi.“
He continued, “It’s Jedi because of the combination of theme, levity, adventure, heart, spectacle. Somehow that movie just got it right for me. And I saw that movie so many times in a theater, more times in a theater than New Hope and Empire, and it stuck with me. I will tell you…there’s moments where I’m on set, and I feel like that kid is with me, in the director’s chair. Like I’m there making his dream come true.“
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Why Was Return of the Jedi Seen as The Worst of the Trilogy Upon Release?
Sure, Return of the Jedi is a fan favourite now, but back in 1983, it took plenty of heat from older Star Wars die-hards. After the bleak gut punch of Empire, some fans weren’t sold on the movie’s softer, kid-friendly vibe, and the Ewoks became ground zero for that backlash. Kids loved those fuzzy little warriors; older fans, not so much.
It’s funny how my relationship with Return of the Jedi has shifted over the years. As a kid, I adored it — big, exciting, and packed with everything I thought a Star Wars adventure needed. By my teenage years, though, it started to feel like the weakest link in the trilogy. The Ewoks seemed goofy, the second Death Star felt like déjà vu, and it just didn’t hit as hard as Empire. Now, as an adult, I find myself siding with that wide-eyed kid again; fun, heart, and pure spectacle go a long way.
Who Stars in Star Wars: Starfighter?
I’m very excited to see what Levy does with Starfighter. I’m ready for a fun Star Wars movie. Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy) leads a star-studded lineup for the film, which includes Flynn Gray (Wednesday), Matt Smith (Caught Stealing), Mia Goth (Pearl), Aaron Pierre (Lanterns), Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners), Jamael Westman (The Essex Serpent), Daniel Ings (The Gentlemen), and Amy Adams (Man of Steel). Levy also told Kevin McCarthy that Thomas Newman (American Beauty) is set to compose the score for Starfighter.
“I feel a profound sense of excitement and honor as we begin production on Star Wars: Starfighter,” said Levy when the project began. “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. Star Wars shaped my sense of what story can do, how characters and cinematic moments can live with us forever. To join this storytelling galaxy with such brilliant collaborators onscreen and off, is the thrill of a lifetime.“
The film is set to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
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