Tom Cruise surprises with a hands-on cameo in 'Star Wars: Starfighter'

Entertainment Jan 08, 2026

Tom Cruise just made an unexpected splash in the upcoming "Star Wars: Starfighter."
Present on set, Cruise didn't just visit—he actually operated the camera for a key lightsaber duel filmed in water.
This rare behind-the-scenes role makes him one of the few non-directors to ever shoot scenes for a Star Wars film.

What else to know

"Star Wars: Starfighter" lands in theaters May 28, 2027, and takes place five years after "The Rise of Skywalker."
Ryan Gosling leads a cast that also includes Mia Goth and Matt Smith as possible villains.
While most plot details are still secret, we know there will be speeders and that epic water duel everyone's buzzing about—especially since Cruise was behind the camera for it.