Adam Driver's 'Star Wars' flick 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' gets disappointing update
No character has captured the imagination of 'Star Wars' fans the way Ben Solo (Adam Driver) did during his run in the sequel trilogy. His tragic death at the end of 'The Rise of Skywalker' broke many people's hearts. Fans loved him so much that they held out hope for his character to return from the dead, like many in the franchise. Seems like their wish was close to being fulfilled. In 2025, Adam Driver revealed that he was at one point actively involved in developing a film named 'The Hunt for Ben Solo.' This movie would have brought Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren, back into the Star Wars universe. Unfortunately, the project got axed during the planning process. Some new appointments reignited the hope of fans, but Steven Soderbergh dashed it all.
Driver had been developing the movie with Soderbergh, an acclaimed director known for his work in Erin Brockovich (2000) and Traffic (2000). The actor loved the script, comparing its quality to 'The Empire Strikes Back.' Driver claimed that the project was "character-driven" and everything that a 'Star Wars' movie should aspire to be. The script also achieved positive backing by Lucasfilm executives Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Cary Beck. The project ultimately did not come to fruition because of Disney representatives. "We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and they said no. They didn't see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that," Driver shared.
Disney has recently gone through an overhaul. Bob Iger, who was involved in pulling the plug on the movie, is no longer at the company. Josh D’Amaro is currently serving as the Disney CEO in his place. Fans hoped that new leadership meant that there was a chance for 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' to get revived. Sodenbergh was asked about the movie's status during the promotion tour of his latest venture, 'The Christophers.' He shared that, to his knowledge, there was no active progress in the 'Ben Solo' project. 'As soon as it became apparent, 'OK, not gonna happen,' I sat down and started writing [something else]," Soderbergh shared. "It's like, 'OK, new scenario, let's get cracking.' At a certain point, it's like complaining about the weather. You just gotta keep moving… Look, if it was gonna happen, it would have happened. It’s that simple."
Soderbergh seems at peace with the project now, but some months ago as clearly disappointed by the call, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’d kind of made the movie in my head, and just felt bad that nobody else was going to get to see it. I thought the conversation was strictly going to be a practical one — where they go, what is this going to cost? And I had a really good answer for that. But it never even got to that point. It’s insane. We’re all very disappointed,” he shared. Fans are also distressed by the update, considering the efforts they invested in making their voice heard to Disney executives. A group even hired a plane to fly a banner reading “Save ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’” over Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
