Matt Smith is no stranger to big-budget, blockbuster franchise fare. From Doctor Who and Terminator to Game of Thrones and Marvel, the actor has done his fair share of work in the realm of tentpole material, all while distinctly retaining his unique wildcard quality.
Smith is a highly versatile actor who brings a great deal of range to his work, so whether he is provocatively dancing in a board room opposite Jared Leto’s ill-fated Dr. Michael Morbius or rocking up in the upcoming Caught Stealing with a full-blown mohawk, audiences can expect a certain degree of verve from him.
This is why it's so exciting to hear the news, reported by Deadline today: Smith has signed on to play a villainous role opposite Ryan Gosling in the upcoming film Star Wars: Starfighter.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the upcoming Shawn Levy-directed film set in a galaxy far, far away would center around Gosling’s character attempting to transport and protect a young relative of his through a post-Rise of Skywalker world, as they are pursued by two villainous characters, one male and one female.
Some of this information was ascertained by the press when Academy Award-winner Mikey Madison reportedly turned down the offer to play the female villain character, which was later picked up by Mia Goth. Now, with confirmation that Smith has boarded the film to play a villainous role, the actor seems set to team up with Goth in pursuit of Gosling’s character.
What’s even more notable about all of this, though, is the fact that Smith has actually been cast in Star Wars before, in a completely different role. As pre-production ramped up on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in early 2018, it was announced that he had been cast in a secretive but essential part. Then, prior to the film’s release, it was revealed that a change in plans had resulted in him being cut.
However, through various interviews over the years, both Smith and director J.J. Abrams have hinted that the actor may have been set to play a younger version of Sheev Palpatine, the franchise’s overarching nemesis.
Considering that The Rise of Skywalker’s story prominently features Palpatine returning from beyond the grave in a new clone body, it isn’t difficult to imagine a version of the film in which Smith played this new iteration of the character. However, the decision was ultimately made to bring in the actor who originated the part in Return of the Jedi and across the prequel trilogy, Ian McDiarmid, instead.
As such, Smith’s inclusion in Starfighter is both surprising and uniquely fitting. The actor has not been shy about voicing his love of the Star Wars saga as a whole, and has clearly been chomping at the bit to get back in the ring after being unceremoniously knocked out of Episode IX.
Playing a villain role will be great for Smith, who brings a distinct bravado to each part he plays. Here at Winter is Coming, we particularly love his performance as the morally grey Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Even when he's doing terrible things on the show, you can't help but root for him.
While the next Star Wars film to hit theaters is 2026's The Mandalorian and Grogu, Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter is next up on the docket and already well underway, set for release in 2027. As such, audiences won't have to wait too long to find out exactly what a long-awaited Matt Smith performance in a Star Wars movie looks like.
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