Ryan Gosling’s ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ Casting Gets an Iron Man Comparison From a Former Marvel Boss

Before ‘Iron Man’ hit theaters in 2008, nobody knew that one casting choice would launch the biggest franchise in Hollywood. Robert Downey Jr.’s charisma is widely credited with making the film a critical and box office hit, opening the door to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a reminder that the right actor in the right role can change a studio’s fortunes.

That result was far from guaranteed. Marvel’s board was nervous about Downey because of his bad boy reputation, and the studio was deciding between him and Timothy Olyphant. Former Marvel Studios executive David Maisel has said his board thought he was crazy to bet the company’s future on the actor, and that director Jon Favreau was key to getting them to sign off.

Now Maisel is drawing a striking parallel to another franchise. In an interview with SYFY, the former Marvel Studios chairman compared Ryan Gosling’s casting in ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ to Downey’s casting as Tony Stark. He called Gosling “the right casting for the role.”

Maisel’s point centered on authenticity. He said that as long as a casting feels authentic, the way Downey’s did for Tony Stark, audiences respond to it, and that Gosling feels like that kind of choice. Coming from the man who fought to hire Downey, it’s high praise.

The conversation took place at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and Maisel used it to credit George Lucas. He said ‘Star Wars’ is what he fell in love with, and that it inspired his idea for a connected universe that became the MCU. He also teased ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, saying fans are in for a treat.

Maisel’s résumé gives his opinion extra weight. He was promoted to Marvel Studios chairman in 2007 and oversaw the launch of the first ‘Iron Man’ film in 2008. In 2009, he arranged the sale of Marvel to Disney for $4 billion.

The timing is notable, since ‘Star Wars’ has hit a rough patch in recent years. The Direct points to ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’, the first ‘Star Wars’ film in 7 years, which broke the record for the lowest-grossing entry in the franchise. Against that backdrop, a comparison to Downey’s franchise-launching turn carries plenty of hope.

There’s a big caveat, though. It hasn’t been confirmed that Gosling will return beyond ‘Starfighter’, as Downey did with Tony Stark. The film is designed as a standalone, and it isn’t a prequel or sequel to anything. That makes the Downey comparison more aspirational than predictive.

Gosling plays Kade Auberon in the film, which is directed by Shawn Levy and written by Jonathan Tropper. The cast includes Flynn Gray, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings and Amy Adams. The story follows a cynical rogue confronted by his mysterious past, who is hurled into a dangerous adventure across the galaxy.

The movie is set roughly 5 years after ‘Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker’ and focuses on new characters. Levy has said it embodies the hope, family and adventure that define ‘Star Wars’, but in a timeline never explored before. First footage was shown at D23, where Levy called the film the most pivotal role of Gosling’s career.

‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ is set to hit theaters on May 28, 2027, after wrapping filming at the end of 2025. Levy has noted that the release lands on the same weekend the original film opened 50 years earlier. That’s a lot of history for a brand-new story to carry.

Meanwhile, Downey himself is back in the spotlight, this time as Doctor Doom in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, arriving December 18. If Maisel’s instincts about authentic casting are right, both franchises may soon be riding on actors audiences already trust.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.