Star Wars: Starfighter shown at D23, with a lightsaber duel already confirmed
Source: The HoloFiles, Aug 15, 2026
Disney showed first footage of Starfighter to D23 attendees on 14 August. The clip had no lightsaber, but the director has said the film contains a lightsaber duel.
Per The HoloFiles on 15 August, Disney and Lucasfilm showed the first footage of Star Wars: Starfighter on 14 August at D23 in Anaheim, as a “world exclusive first look” for attendees [1]. Deadline ran a report on the same showing [2]. The footage has not been released online, according to the HoloFiles write-up.
The description of the clip in that report centres on Ryan Gosling’s character, a decommissioned starfighter, a speeder bike and a water planet. It does not mention a lightsaber [1]. Do not expect saber designs from this reveal.
The film opens in theaters on 28 May 2027 [1]. A separate Variety report, published earlier in 2026, says director Shawn Levy described a lightsaber duel in the film, part of which was shot by Tom Cruise during a set visit [3]. The Variety page was not opened in full for this item, so treat details beyond that headline claim as unconfirmed. Our date for that article is an approximation, as we could not verify the day.
Why it matters to a buyer or builder
Nothing here shows a new hilt or blade colour, so there is nothing to copy or buy yet. When a licensed or fan replica appears, it will most likely follow a trailer or toy reveal, not a showcase clip. Compare it with how earlier films were handled in every lightsaber by film.
What to do
Wait for a public trailer or official character art before planning a build. If you want to prepare, the parts list and build guide cover what a custom hilt needs. We will update this item if footage with a saber becomes public.
Sources
- The HoloFiles, “‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ First Footage Shown at D23 2026”, 15 August 2026, https://theholofiles.com/2026/08/15/star-wars-starfighter-d23/
- Deadline, “‘Star Wars: Starfighter’: Ryan Gosling Movie Gets First Look at D23”, August 2026, https://deadline.com/2026/08/star-wars-starfighter-ryan-gosling-first-look-d23-1237040930/
- Variety, “Tom Cruise Visited ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’ Set and Ended Up Filming a Lightsaber Duel Scene”, 2026, https://variety.com/2026/film/news/tom-cruise-star-wars-starfighter-lightsaber-fight-1236626095/
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