At Disney’s D23 showcase in Anaheim, director Shawn Levy officially introduced Ryan Gosling’s character Kade Auberon in the upcomingStar Wars: Starfighter, and the jacket Gosling wore during the presentation has already become a talking point among fans.
The jacket, which Gosling wore during a segment that began with a nod to his days onThe Mickey Mouse Club, features a black, star-speckled design. On its back is what initially looks like a distressed skull-and-crossbones insignia. However, a closer look reveals that the skull is actually an upside-down version of the Rebel Alliance’s famed Starbird logo, with crossed blasters completing the pirate-style design.
The Starbird symbol has been part ofStar Wars since the original trilogy, appearing on Rebel pilots’ helmets and uniforms. Lucasfilm has also linked its origins to Sabine Wren’s personal Starbird symbol inStar Wars Rebels, with the character’s creative choice essentially inspiring the Rebel Alliance’s insignia.
Turning that familiar symbol upside down and reshaping it into something closer to a pirate flag has led some to interpret it as a redefinition of the Rebel Alliance. The new film is already being described as “redefining the Rebel Alliance,” with Gosling’s character seemingly embodying a more rogue-like spirit.
At D23, Gosling described Kade as “a guy from the wrong side of the galaxy” whose fate becomes tied to the fastest starfighter ever built. The first footage revealed that Kade owns a decommissioned Imperial Reaper-class fighter that he claims is the fastest starfighter ever built.
Levy said the 2027 movie tells an original story set during a period of theStar Wars timeline not previously explored on screen. Gosling and Flynn Gray are joined in the cast by Amy Adams, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, and Aaron Pierre.
Star Wars: Starfighter arrives in theaters on May 28, 2027.