Adam Driver's Rejected Ben Solo Movie: What Happened?

Get ready, Star Wars fans, because Adam Driver just dropped a bombshell: he and acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh pitched a Kylo Ren solo movie to Disney, and it got a firm "no." Naturally, the galaxy is reeling.

TL;DR: The Short Version

Adam Driver and Steven Soderbergh developed "The Hunt for Ben Solo," a Star Wars movie set after The Rise of Skywalker.
Lucasfilm execs loved the idea, but Disney CEO Bob Iger and Alan Bergman rejected it, citing Ben Solo's death.
Fans are outraged, pointing out Star Wars' history of character resurrections and Disney's recent struggles with film releases.

The Star-Powered Pitch That Disney Said No To

Imagine this: Adam Driver, returning as the redeemed Ben Solo, teaming up with legendary director Steven Soderbergh (the mastermind behind hits like Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brockovich, and Traffic). Sounds like a dream team for a new Star Wars flick, right?

Well, it almost happened. Driver recently revealed that he spent a solid two years trying to get a Ben Solo-centric Star Wars movie off the ground. He approached Soderbergh with the concept, and Soderbergh, along with Rebecca Blunt, helped outline the story. Then, Scott Z. Burns, known for screenplays like Contagion and The Bourne Ultimatum, came aboard to pen the script. Driver described the screenplay as "one of the coolest (expletive) scripts I had ever been a part of."

This film, tentatively titled "The Hunt for Ben Solo," would have picked up right after the events of 2019's The Rise of Skywalker, exploring Ben's journey after his heroic sacrifice.

Why Disney Executives Didn't See a Future for Ben Solo

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The pitch process started strong. Driver and Soderbergh took their unique, "handmade and character-driven" vision to Lucasfilm. According to Driver, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, Vice President Cary Beck, and Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni "loved the idea" and "totally understood our angle and why we were doing it."

But when it went higher up the corporate ladder to Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman, things hit a wall. Their reason? "They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that," Driver stated, expressing his confusion and mystification over the decision.

"We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it. 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."

— Adam Driver to The Associated Press

Fans Are Fuming Over Disney's "Hypocrisy" Regarding Character Deaths

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News of this rejected project sent shockwaves through the Star Wars fandom. Social media exploded with fans calling Disney's decision the "biggest missed opportunity ever" and lambasting the logic behind it. Many were quick to point out what they see as a glaring inconsistency in the Star Wars universe's approach to death:

Emperor Palpatine: Famously "somehow returned" in The Rise of Skywalker after being blown up in the Death Star.
Darth Maul: Survived being sliced in half and falling down a shaft in The Phantom Menace, returning later in animated series and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Boba Fett: Escaped the Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi, appearing in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Other Resurrections: Characters like Ahsoka Tano (via time travel in the World Between Worlds) and Asajj Ventress (by ritual) have also defied death.
Digital De-aging/Recreation: Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher's characters have been brought back or de-aged using digital technology.

"They literally blew up Palpatine and then brought him back," one fan quipped on X, echoing the sentiment of many who feel Disney drew an arbitrary line at Ben Solo's return.

A Missed Opportunity for a "Handmade" Star Wars Film?

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Adam Driver's vision for "The Hunt for Ben Solo" was clear: "We wanted to be judicial about how to spend money and be economical with it, and do it for less than most but in the same spirit of what those movies are, which is handmade and character-driven," he told the AP. He even cited The Empire Strikes Back as "the standard of what those movies were."

Soderbergh, for his part, expressed regret: "I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it."

This comes at a time when many Star Wars movie projects have struggled to take off. Since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, Disney hasn't released a single theatrical film in the franchise. High-profile projects like Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron and Taika Waititi's unnamed entry have seemingly stalled indefinitely.

The rejection stings even more for fans because Driver had an arc in mind for Kylo Ren that "inverted the journey of Darth Vader," a vision that didn't fully play out in the Sequel Trilogy as he originally envisioned.

The Enduring Legacy of Ben Solo and What Could Have Been

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Ben Solo's journey from Jedi Padawan to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and back to the light as Ben Solo was one of the most compelling (and controversial) aspects of the sequel trilogy. His death, sacrificing himself to save Rey after Force healing her, left many fans hoping for more. The lack of a Force ghost appearance, unlike other deceased Force users, fueled theories that his story wasn't truly over.

While some argue his death was a powerful, definitive moment of redemption, allowing him to succeed where his grandfather Anakin Skywalker failed, others felt it cut short a potential character arc of reckoning and rebuilding. A film exploring his post-Rise of Skywalker existence, even if it involved a creative "resurrection," could have offered a deeper dive into that complex redemption.

This feeling of Ben Solo being "wronged" extends beyond the big screen. Even on the toy shelves, there's a noticeable absence. Despite his major role, Hasbro has yet to release a proper Ben Solo action figure (beyond a Funko Pop!), a stark contrast to the myriad of figures for almost every other Star Wars character.

What's Next for the Galaxy Far, Far Away?

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Despite this particular project's demise, the Star Wars cinematic universe isn't completely dormant. Here's what's currently on the horizon for theatrical releases:

The Mandalorian and Grogu: Continuing the story from the beloved Disney+ series, expected May 22, 2026.
Star Wars: Starfighter: A new film starring Ryan Gosling, slated for May 28, 2027.
Rey's New Jedi Order Film: Daisy Ridley is set to return as Rey, rebuilding the Jedi Order roughly 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker. No release date has been set, and it's unclear if Driver could be involved in this project.

The news about "The Hunt for Ben Solo" comes as George Lucas, who sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion in 2012, has voiced his opinion that Disney "got a lot wrong" with the Sequel Trilogy and didn't "understand the Force." With Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy recently dispelling retirement rumors, the future direction of Star Wars remains a hot topic of debate for fans and creators alike.

Whether Ben Solo ever truly returns, or if his story remains a poignant "what if," one thing is clear: Adam Driver and Steven Soderbergh's unmade film will continue to fuel discussions about the endless possibilities of that galaxy far, far away.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Rejected Ben Solo Movie

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What was Adam Driver's proposed Ben Solo movie titled? The proposed movie was titled "The Hunt for Ben Solo." Why did Disney reject "The Hunt for Ben Solo" movie? Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman rejected the film because they "didn't see how Ben Solo was alive" after his death in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Who was involved in developing the Ben Solo movie? Adam Driver developed the concept with director Steven Soderbergh, who outlined the story with Rebecca Blunt. Scott Z. Burns wrote the screenplay. Will Adam Driver return to Star Wars in future movies? Currently, Adam Driver has stated that "The Hunt for Ben Solo" project is "no more," indicating he's done with Star Wars for now. While Daisy Ridley is returning for a new film, it's unclear if Driver would be involved.