LucasfilmStar Wars has always been a star-maker. Harrison Ford went from being a former carpenter to being Indiana Jones and starring in countless action movies. Carrie Fisher was already Hollywood royalty, but Star Wars allowed her to build her writing career. Mark Hamill went from a fresh-faced actor to voicing the Joker and reaching the ultimate goal of fame: hosting The Muppet Show. But with its next original movie, Star Wars is trying something brand new: making a Star Wars movie like any other blockbuster space opera, with a proven star and director. A new quote from that star proves how this story exists not just as a good Star Wars movie, but as a good movie regardless. Ryan Gosling is without a doubt the biggest star to lead a Star Wars movie. | Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty ImagesRyan Gosling is currently going above and beyond to advertise his latest movie, Project Hail Mary. He’s doing bits on the set of Jeopardy, posting cryptic videos, and throwing literal Hail Mary passes with a football. But that’s just the kind of movie star Gosling is: he’s the star of “Hey Girl” memes and the face behind The Notebook. So why would a huge household name like that star in Star Wars: Starfighter, Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars movie? According to a recent interview with io9, it was the story itself. “It was Shawn’s enthusiasm and his vision and the script,” Gosling said. “And I just avoided these things because they never felt right. And I’m glad I did because I feel like, [similar to] a book like this, [it was] worth waiting for. And it is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”It may seem weird to consider, but most Star Wars projects — in their time — are cast with relative unknowns. Before The Mandalorian, Pedro Pascal was best known for his role in Narcos and his brief but eye-popping appearance in Game of Thrones. Before the sequel trilogy, Oscar Isaac was known for Inside Llewyn Davis and Ex Machina. The biggest get for the original Star Wars trilogy was Alec Guinness, who had a big career in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Star Wars has always been launching the careers of unknown actors. | Denver Post/Denver Post/Getty ImagesCasting Gosling in this new movie may be a risky move, but it’s something that’s very traditional outside of the Star Wars universe. Perhaps a Star Wars movie made like a regular movie could breathe new life into the franchise, still licking its wounds after the divisive Rise of Skywalker from 2019. In May of this year, The Mandalorian & Grogu will bring the fan-favorite TV show to the silver screen, but the future of Star Wars can’t just be TV spinoffs. Perhaps this is the future: making movies like Star Wars isn’t a franchise at all. Star Wars: Starfighter premieres in theaters on May 28, 2027.