Star Wars: Starfighter Just Hired Top Gun: Maverick’s Cinematographer — Get Ready for Next‑Level X‑Wing Action
Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Starfighter has a director, a star, and now a confirmed cinematographer: Shawn Levy will direct, Ryan Gosling stars, and Levy confirmed Claudio Miranda as the film’s director of photography. The movie is set five years after The Rise of Skywalker and is scheduled to hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
Key cast and crew
Shawn Levy is directing Star Wars: Starfighter. Levy’s recent credits include Deadpool & Wolverine, Free Guy, Real Steel, and Night at the Museum.
Ryan Gosling is attached to star; his character has not been publicly named. The film is officially described as taking place five years after The Rise of Skywalker.
Cinematographer confirmation
Levy confirmed via his Twitter account that Claudio Miranda will serve as the film’s director of photography.
Confirmed .
Lucky me.— Shawn Levy (@ShawnLevyDirect) August 29, 2025
Claudio Miranda’s past work
Miranda was the cinematographer on Top Gun: Maverick and also worked on the film F1. Earlier in his career, he collaborated with David Fincher, including on Zodiac. He was the cinematographer on Ang Lee’s Life of Pi and on Tron: Legacy with director Joseph Kosinski.
Reportedly, Miranda has helped develop camera systems used to capture immersive cockpit and driver-seat perspectives, as used on projects like Top Gun: Maverick and F1. He has also spent time studying animation techniques as part of his visual approach to live-action cinematography.
Production status and release date
Starfighter is currently in production. Lucasfilm has set the theatrical release for May 28, 2027.
Context and sources
The visual emphasis on speed and immersive camera work in Starfighter was highlighted after Levy confirmed Miranda’s involvement. Historically, George Lucas described his filmmaking approach as focusing on visuals and kinetic energy; in a 1997 interview he said, “I do films that are kinetic, and I tend to focus on character as it is created through editing and light, not stories.” For more on Lucas’s comments, see this New Yorker profile.
Separately, discussions of Lucas’s original influences and the visual roots of Star Wars are detailed in a piece about adding fast cars to Flash Gordon; that background can be read at this page.
In addition, Lucasfilm previously announced a Rogue Squadron movie in 2021, which was later removed from its release calendar. Starfighter represents a separate Lucasfilm project presently moving through production.
