Chiba (Japan) - From dream house to outer space: Ryan Gosling (44) swaps his Barbie look for a lightsaber and takes on a leading role in the new Star Wars adventure.

The Japanese city of Chiba is currently celebrating in galactic style. One surprise after another is giving fans goosebumps at the world's biggest fan gathering, the "Star Wars Celebration".

In addition to guests such as Temuera Morrison (64, "The Book of Boba Fett"), director Shawn Levy, who is currently working on the new Star Wars film, is also in attendance.

He confirmed a hotly debated rumor on stage: Ryan Gosling will indeed be taking on a leading role in the new film. "I heard a rumor ... and yes, it's one hundred percent true," Levy announced.

But that wasn't enough of a surprise. While the audience was already celebrating, Ryan Gosling himself suddenly took to the stage. The 44-year-old greeted the cheering fans with obvious emotion: "The Force is a mysterious thing, but since I'm here, the fans are the Force."

According to a statement from Lucasfilm, the new film "Star Wars: Starfighter" will be released in May 2027.

The story takes place five years after the events of "The Rise of Skywalker" (2019) and will take viewers into a completely new chapter of the Star Wars universe.