From Pearl to the Dark Side: Mia Goth's Galaxy-Brained Career Move
Mia Goth just stepped into a galaxy far, far away—and the internet's having a minor Force stroke.
The Pearl star, fresh off shooting Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, has officially joined the cast of Star Wars: Starfighter, the standalone space epic from Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy. She'll star alongside Ryan Gosling (yes, that Ryan Gosling), in a project Lucasfilm hopes will resuscitate the Star Wars movieverse, which hasn't had a theatrical release since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker.
And here's the kicker: Goth is stepping into a role that was originally circled by Anora breakout Mikey Madison, but that deal reportedly imploded after a salary standoff post-Oscar win. Villain role. Big budget. High stakes.
Translation? This isn't just casting news—it's chess.
Why This Changes Everything (or Implodes Nothing)
Let's pause: a Star Wars movie, not connected to the Skywalkers, starring two actors known for playing characters on the psychological brink? Directed by the guy currently splicing Wolverine into the MCU? That's not just a pivot—it's a deliberate genre warp.
Insane detail: Production starts this fall, with Disney already locking in a May 28, 2027 release—exactly one year after The Mandalorian & Grogu. The symmetry is no accident. They're staging a comeback, Marvel-style.
Savage comparison? This is Drive meets Rogue One, by way of Joker—but with midichlorians and fewer rules.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: the Star Wars brand is on life support. Shows like Andor have critics. Baby Yoda has memes. But the films? Ghost town. Starfighter is Disney's litmus test: can audiences still care about a Star Wars story without nostalgia as a crutch?
The Secret Battle Behind the Scenes
Here's what Lucasfilm won't say: this isn't just about casting a rising horror icon—it's about salvaging creative control.
Mikey Madison, fresh off her Anora Oscar win, was reportedly in line for this same villain role. But talks fell apart when she pushed for a paycheck reflecting her sudden A-list status. Lucasfilm, still licking its wounds from Solo's box-office sputter and The Rise of Skywalker‘s backlash, didn't blink. Exit Madison. Enter Goth.
There's a pattern here. Remember when Josh Trank (Chronicle) was booted before he could even shoot his standalone Boba Fett film? Or when Game of Thrones duo Benioff & Weiss walked away from their trilogy? This studio doesn't gamble—they course-correct.
One Disney insider reportedly called Levy's Starfighter pitch “the anti-Skywalker answer to Marvel fatigue.” Translation: more character study, less Jedi prophecy. That's Goth's lane.
Choose Your Fighter: Gosling & Goth or Grogu & Mando?
Would you rather watch Gosling pilot a Starfighter in emotional crisis—or another Baby Yoda spinoff? No judgment. (…Okay, some judgment.)
The bigger question: Is Starfighter a franchise lifeline or just more IP CPR?
All we know for now: Goth is in. Madison is out. The dark side's getting an arthouse glow-up.
