The Star Wars franchise is at a vastly different place following what can only be described as the unfulfilled potential of the new trilogy.
The franchise, now under the leadership of Dave Filoni, seems intent on staying within the era of the original trilogy- focusing on characters like Luke, Leia, Han, and Darth Vader.
Whenever a major franchise shifts gears, internet rumors inevitably flood in. Some end up being dead-on, while others are purely driven by fan wishful thinking.
So which category do those persistent rumors of a solo Darth Vader movie fall into?
At the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opening night gala this past weekend, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader actor Hayden Christensen addressed those rumors with E! News.
"Oh, I think those are just rumors," Christensen said with a smile. "Of course, I would be thrilled to get to do that, but right now, those are just rumors."
Naturally, Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill was also in attendance to celebrate the opening night of the museum and he was asked about Ryan Gosling joining the franchise, as he'll play pilot Cade Aubberon in Star Wars: Starfighter, which hits United States theaters on May 28, 2027.
"He's great in everything," gushed Hamill, adding that he wouldn't think of giving a talented actor like Gosling any advice. "Perfect personality for it, I just know he'll be great, he's great at everything!"
Following a brief onslaught of streaming series, Star Wars is charging full steam, returning to more of a cinematic focus.
Up next is director Shawn Levy’s standalone adventure Star Wars: Starfighter, with Gosling set to lead.
Looking further down the road, Lucasfilm has a stacked slate that includes Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Jedi Order movie bringing back Rey, James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi taking us back to the Force's origins, Dave Filoni’s big New Republic crossover, and a brand-new trilogy overseen by Simon Kinberg.
Over on Disney+, the streaming side is slowing down a bit in comparison to recent years, with Ahsoka Season 2 doing the heavy lifting.