Adam Driver's Rejected Ben Solo Star Wars Movie: The Hunt for Kylo Ren That Never Was

Get ready for a fascinating peek behind the scenes! Adam Driver recently spilled the beans on a "really cool" Kylo Ren sequel he and director Steven Soderbergh pitched to Lucasfilm and Disney, only for it to get shut down.

TL;DR: The Short & Sweet Version

• Adam Driver and director Steven Soderbergh spent two years developing a Star Wars sequel centered on Kylo Ren (Ben Solo), titled "The Hunt for Ben Solo."
• Lucasfilm loved the script, but Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman ultimately rejected the idea, citing Ben Solo's death in The Rise of Skywalker.
• The proposed film was envisioned as "handmade and character-driven," similar to The Empire Strikes Back, focusing on Ben Solo's journey after his apparent demise.

Okay, Star Wars fans, grab your blue milk and settle in, because Adam Driver just dropped some major news that's got the galaxy buzzing. It turns out that Driver, who brought the conflicted Kylo Ren (aka Ben Solo) to life in the sequel trilogy, was super keen to return to that role. And not just keen, he actually teamed up with acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh to develop a whole new movie idea!

This isn't just some fan theory or whispered rumor; Driver himself confirmed it in a recent interview. He was ready to jump back into a galaxy far, far away, provided there was a "great director and a great story." Sounds like he found both, but unfortunately, Disney had other plans.

Unveiling "The Hunt for Ben Solo": A Lost Star Wars Story

So, what was this mysterious project all about? Driver revealed that the proposed film was tentatively titled "The Hunt for Ben Solo" and would have been a direct sequel to 2019's Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker. That's right, a story set after Ben Solo's heroic, yet seemingly final, sacrifice.

Driver had been talking about returning to the Star Wars universe since 2021, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy even reached out. He and Soderbergh, known for his work on films like Ocean's Eleven and Contagion, worked on the concept for two years. Soderbergh roughed out the story with Rebecca Blunt (the pseudonym for his wife, Jules Asner), and then Scott Z. Burns, known for Contagion and The Bourne Ultimatum, was brought in to pen the script. Driver called it "one of the coolest (expletive) scripts I had ever been a part of."

"I always was interested in doing another Star Wars. I had been talking about doing another one since 2021... With a great director and a great story, I'd be there in a second. I loved that character and loved playing him."

— Adam Driver (via Associated Press)

The vision for this film was unique. Driver described it as "handmade and character-driven," even comparing it to the beloved The Empire Strikes Back, which he sees as "the standard" for what a Star Wars movie should be. This sounds like it could have offered a fresh, more intimate take on the epic saga, focusing on the internal struggles and redemption of Ben Solo rather than massive battles. They even planned to be "judicial about how to spend money and be economical with it," aiming for a more grounded approach.

The Jedi Mind Trick That Failed: Disney's Rejection Explained

The pitch process for "The Hunt for Ben Solo" went through several stages. First, Driver, Soderbergh, and their team presented the script to Lucasfilm. And here's where it gets interesting: Lucasfilm brass, including Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm vice president Cary Beck, and chief creative officer Dave Filoni, reportedly "loved the idea" and "totally understood our angle and why we were doing it." It seemed like a green light from the core creative team behind Star Wars.

But then, the proposal moved up the chain to the ultimate decision-makers at Disney: CEO Bob Iger and co-chairman Alan Bergman. And that's where the journey for "The Hunt for Ben Solo" abruptly ended.

"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 (via Associated Press)

The reason for the rejection was straightforward, if a bit ironic for a franchise that consistently brings characters back from the brink: Disney "didn't see how Ben Solo was alive." For those who remember The Rise of Skywalker, Ben Solo uses his remaining Force energy to revive Rey after she defeats Palpatine, and then his body vanishes, implying he became one with the Force. Disney's stance was that his death was, apparently, too permanent to undo.

Soderbergh, too, expressed his disappointment, telling the AP, "I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I'm just sorry the fans won't get to see it." It's a sentiment many fans are echoing now, wondering what a Soderbergh-helmed, character-driven Kylo Ren movie could have been.

Kylo Ren's Arc: A Path Less Traveled Than Expected

Driver's desire for a Ben Solo sequel isn't just about loving the character; it also ties into his previous comments about Kylo Ren's original arc. Driver had a specific journey in mind for the character that he felt didn't fully play out in the sequel trilogy. He noted that director J.J. Abrams initially wanted Kylo's journey to be almost the opposite of Darth Vader's: Vader started confident and committed to the dark side, becoming vulnerable later, while Kylo would start vulnerable and become darker. However, this changed during production.

Many fans have debated Kylo Ren's fate and redemption. For some, his sacrifice in The Rise of Skywalker was a poignant and fitting end, completing his parallel arc to Anakin Skywalker by choosing love over selfish power and saving the one he cared about most. His disappearance, becoming one with the Force, cemented his redemption as a Jedi.

However, others felt his death was rushed or unsatisfying, leaving much potential untapped. The argument that Disney couldn't conceive of Ben Solo being alive after his death rings a bit hollow to many fans, considering the franchise's history:

• Darth Maul: Famously sliced in half in The Phantom Menace but returned thanks to Dathomirian magic and pure hatred, appearing in The Clone Wars and Rebels.
• Emperor Palpatine: Thrown down a reactor shaft in Return of the Jedi, only to somehow return in The Rise of Skywalker with a line that became an instant meme: "Somehow, Palpatine returned."
• Ahsoka Tano: Seemingly killed by Darth Vader in Rebels, only to be saved by Ezra Bridger through time travel in the World Between Worlds.
• Boba Fett: Escaped the Sarlacc pit in Return of the Jedi's extended universe (now canonized in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett).

Given these precedents, a creative team like Soderbergh and Burns could surely have found a compelling way for Ben Solo to return, even if it wasn't a literal bodily resurrection but perhaps through Force manifestations or a unique form of existence beyond what we've seen. The rejection by Disney’s top brass suggests a corporate inflexibility rather than a creative impossibility within the Star Wars framework.

What's Next for the Star Wars Universe and Adam Driver?

While "The Hunt for Ben Solo" won't be happening, the Star Wars universe is still expanding. The next major film release is set to be The Mandalorian and Grogu, a spinoff of the Disney+ series, starring Pedro Pascal and directed by Jon Favreau, arriving on May 22, 2026. Following that, Star Wars: Starfighter, reportedly starring Ryan Gosling, is slated for May 28, 2027.

There's also a confirmed sequel to The Rise of Skywalker in the works, focusing on Daisy Ridley's Rey Skywalker as she works to rebuild the Jedi Order approximately 15 years after the events of the last film. Interestingly, it seems Ben Solo won't be a part of that journey, at least in a physical sense.

As for Adam Driver, he's definitely not slowing down. You can catch him next in Father Mother Sister Brother, directed by Jim Jarmusch, which is set to hit theaters on December 24. While we might not see him with a lightsaber again anytime soon, his career continues to be filled with exciting and diverse projects.

And for those still hoping for more Ben Solo, you're not alone. There's even a campaign for Hasbro to release a proper Ben Solo action figure, moving beyond just Kylo Ren versions. If Disney won't give us the movie, maybe we can at least get the toy!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Lost Kylo Ren Movie

Why did Disney reject "The Hunt for Ben Solo"? Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman rejected the film because they "didn't see how Ben Solo was alive" after his death and disappearance in The Rise of Skywalker. How would Ben Solo have returned after The Rise of Skywalker? Specific details of how Ben Solo would have been alive in "The Hunt for Ben Solo" were not disclosed by Driver. However, within the Star Wars universe, there are many ways characters have returned from seemingly permanent deaths (e.g., Darth Maul, Emperor Palpatine). Will Adam Driver ever return to Star Wars? While Driver was very interested in "The Hunt for Ben Solo," its rejection suggests his immediate return to the Star Wars live-action universe as Kylo Ren/Ben Solo is highly unlikely, at least in a physical capacity. He has moved on to other projects. What other Star Wars movies are coming out soon? Upcoming Star Wars films include The Mandalorian and Grogu (May 22, 2026) and Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28, 2027). A Rey Skywalker sequel, set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, is also in development with Daisy Ridley returning.

Sources

• Entertainment Weekly: Adam Driver pitched Kylo Ren Star Wars movie to Steven Soderbergh, but Disney rejected it
• Variety: Adam Driver Pitched Kylo Ren ‘Star Wars’ Standalone Movie With Steven Soderbergh, but Disney Rejected Script: ‘One of the Coolest’ Projects ‘I Had Ever Been a Part of’
• Deadline: Adam Driver Says Disney Shot Down Ben Solo ‘Star Wars’ Sequel Film Despite Lucasfilm Saying “They Loved The Idea”
• The Daily Beast: Oscar-Nominated Actor Says Disney Killed His Planned ‘Star Wars’ Sequel
• Polygon: ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ should have stayed dead
• IGN: 'They Didn't See How Ben Solo Was Alive. And That Was That' — Adam Driver Reveals Disney Said No to a 'Really Cool' Kylo Ren Star Wars Movie
• Forbes: Why Disney Shot Down Adam Driver’s ‘The Hunt For Ben Solo’ Movie
• io9: If We Can’t Get a Ben Solo Movie, Can We At Least Get His Action Figure?