Matt Smith is once again linked to Star Wars, but this time he’s being careful about not saying much, at this point at least. At the New York premiere of Caught Stealing, Entertainment Tonight caught up with him for a quick chat.
Of course, Smith was asked about House of the Dragon season 3, as well as the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. Earlier this month, it was reported that he would be joining the cast alongside already-announced Ryan Gosling and Mia Goth. It's believed Smith will play a villain.
Matt Smith jokes about Star Wars role
When asked how it feels to be taking on such a big franchise such as Star Wars, Smith reacted to the casting, saying, "People keep telling me that I'm in it," but considering his history with the films, he doesn't want to be too confident. "The last one I was meant to be in and I wasn't in, so I think it's absolute codswallop," he joked.
Matt Smith has seen all the 'Star Wars: Starfighter' chatter, and he's calling it straight-up "codswallop." 🫢 pic.twitter.com/IjOMGmb178
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) August 27, 2025
Of course, Smith was supposed to appear in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. At that time, it was rumored that he could be playing a young Palpatine, but his part never made it to the big screen. It makes sense that he's cautious this time, even if he's half joking.
What we know about Star Wars: Starfighter so far
Right now, there’s not much official info about Starfighter, besides the confirmed castings so far and some other details. Goth is set to play a villain who might be chasing Gosling’s character and his young nephew. She took the role after Oscar winner Mikey Madison reportedly turned it down.
The movie will be helmed by Shawn Levy, being one of many former MCU directors who are currently working on a Star Wars film alongside Taika Waititi and Jon Favreau, the latter of whom is working on next year’s The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Lucasfilm announced the standalone film at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo in April 2025. It’s written by Jonathan Tropper and will hit theaters on May 28, 2027.
The film takes place roughly five or six years after The Rise of Skywalker, following the Battle of Exegol. It doesn’t directly tie into the Skywalker Saga, though characters from the sequel trilogy could possibly appear. Filming is expected to begin in the fall of 2025.