Talk about a disturbance in the Force! Star Wars fans are pulling out all the stops to save 'The Hunt For Ben Solo,' a canceled movie that would've starred Adam Driver as Kylo Ren after the events of The Rise of Skywalker.
TL;DR
- Adam Driver dropped a bombshell, revealing 'The Hunt for Ben Solo,' a movie about his character Ben Solo/Kylo Ren, was quietly developed and then canceled by Disney.
- This character-driven film, set after The Rise of Skywalker and directed by Steven Soderbergh, had a completed script that Lucasfilm loved, but was ultimately rejected by top Disney executives.
- Fans aren't taking "no" for an answer, launching a full-scale campaign with plane banners, a Times Square billboard, and online petitions to convince Disney to bring the project back to life.
The Shocking Revelation of a Lost Star Wars Story
Just when you thought the Skywalker Saga was truly over, Adam Driver—the actor who brought the conflicted Kylo Ren, and later the redeemed Ben Solo, to life—pulled back the curtain on a secret Star Wars project that could have been. In a recent interview, Driver revealed he'd been in talks to return to a galaxy far, far away since 2021, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had even reached out.
What he unveiled was truly exciting: a film provisionally titled 'The Hunt for Ben Solo.' It wasn't just a pipe dream; this was a fully fleshed-out concept, developed with none other than Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh at the helm. Imagine a Soderbergh Star Wars movie! Driver described it as a "character-driven" story, aiming for the depth and intimate scale of classics like The Empire Strikes Back.
The Creative Team Behind Ben Solo's Potential Return
This wasn't just Adam Driver wishing for more screen time. He and Soderbergh reportedly outlined the story, bringing in talented screenwriters Rebecca Blunt (who worked with Soderbergh on Logan Lucky) and Scott Z. Burns. Burns is a big name in Hollywood, known for scripts like Bourne Ultimatum and The Informant!, and even did some uncredited work on Rogue One.
Their vision was clear: to explore Ben Solo's journey after his heroic sacrifice at the end of The Rise of Skywalker. Driver was incredibly enthusiastic, calling it "one of the coolest fing scripts I had ever been a part of." He loved playing the character and believed there was more story to tell.
The good news? Lucasfilm agreed! Driver stated that when he and Soderbergh presented the script to Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm Vice President Carrie Beck, and Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni, "They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it." It even received a greenlight from the creative team at Lucasfilm. This was a story they wanted to see happen.
Why Disney Executives Said No to the Ben Solo Movie
So, if Lucasfilm was on board, what happened? The project ultimately hit a wall at the very top of Disney. Driver explained, "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." Bob Iger is, of course, the CEO of Disney, and Alan Bergman is Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman – the ultimate decision-makers.
This wasn't just a casual rejection either. Steven Soderbergh himself commented on his Bluesky account, revealing a surprising detail: "In the aftermath of the HFBS situation, I asked Kathy Kennedy if [Lucasfilm Ltd] had ever turned in a finished movie script for greenlight to Disney and had it rejected. She said no, this was a first." That's right, Disney had never turned down a completed Lucasfilm script before 'The Hunt for Ben Solo.' It really makes you wonder what could have been.
Driver expressed some bafflement, pointing out that the plan was 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." The intention was to create a focused, high-quality story, not necessarily a sprawling blockbuster.
"It was one of the coolest fucking scripts I had ever been a part of."
— Adam Driver on 'The Hunt for Ben Solo'"I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it."
— Steven Soderbergh on 'The Hunt for Ben Solo'Fans Launch an Unprecedented Campaign to Save the Hunt
As you can imagine, the news of 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' being shelved didn't sit well with the passionate Star Wars fandom. Emboldened by past successful fan campaigns, like the one that led to the release of the "Snyder Cut" of Justice League (which saw $70 million poured into finishing it), fans quickly mobilized.
Within days of Driver's revelation, the "Save #TheHuntForBenSolo" movement took off. First, a dedicated fan named Lianna Al Allaf commissioned a plane to fly a banner over Disney Studios in Burbank, California, on October 23, 2025. Her message was clear: "I really hope this banner shows the decision makers at Disney that the fans really do want this. I hope this banner shows just how much the character of Ben Solo means to so many of us, and that the fans really do want this movie."
But they didn't stop there! Just three days later, on October 26, 2025, another fan, B.D. Neagle, took the campaign to an even bigger stage: Times Square in New York City. Neagle paid for a prominent billboard at 1500 Broadway, above Carlo's Bake Shop, between 43rd and 44th Street. The sign, featuring a starry background and Star Wars-esque font (though some noted it looked a bit more Star Trek!), declared: "For Adam. No one's ever really gone. Hope lives. Ben is alive! #THBS."
Neagle told Collider that his intent was "to show Disney this is what fans actually want. 'No one’s ever really gone,' I believe, says it all." He echoed a sentiment shared by many fans: if Palpatine could be brought back with "one line" in The Rise of Skywalker, then there are "plenty of ways Ben could return that already fit into Star Wars lore." The fan outcry also includes a Change.org petition, which has garnered over 3,700 signatures and counting.
Can Ben Solo Really Return? The Force Dyad & Fan Lore
The core reason for Disney's rejection was their difficulty in seeing "how Ben Solo was alive" after his apparent death and fading into the Force at the end of The Rise of Skywalker. However, many fans and even some critics argue there's a clear path for his return within established Star Wars lore.
The most compelling argument revolves around the Force Dyad—the powerful connection shared between Rey and Ben Solo. The Rise of Skywalker showed Ben sacrificing himself to resurrect Rey using the Force. Fans contend that this established precedent means Rey, having grown stronger in the Force, could potentially find a way to bring Ben back, perhaps without the fatal cost. "If they could bring back Palpatine with one line," as B.D. Neagle pointed out, "there are plenty of ways Ben could return that already fit into Star Wars lore." The Dyad's true potential was only briefly explored, leaving much room for expansion.
However, not everyone agrees. Some argue that Ben Solo's death was a powerful, redemptive moment, echoing and surpassing Anakin Skywalker's ultimate sacrifice. To undo it, they say, would cheapen his arc and the ending of The Rise of Skywalker, which, despite its divisive reception, offered a conclusive (if imperfect) end to his story. For these fans, some deaths should remain impactful and permanent.
A Pattern of Unrealized Star Wars Visions
The 'Hunt for Ben Solo' isn't the only ambitious Star Wars project to get shelved. This recent revelation highlights a pattern within Disney and Lucasfilm where numerous creative ideas from major filmmakers never see the light of day.
For instance, reports from The InSneider suggest that legendary director David Fincher also had "conversations with Lucasfilm about directing a movie after Episode IX." While details about his pitch or character focus remain under wraps, it's known that Fincher, who worked on Return of the Jedi early in his career, wanted final cut approval—something Lucasfilm "simply could not offer him."
This adds to a growing list of "what-if" Star Wars projects, including Rian Johnson's proposed trilogy, Guillermo del Toro's rumored Jabba the Hutt movie, and the scrapped film from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. It seems that while the Star Wars universe is vast, the path to bringing new stories to the big screen can be incredibly challenging, even for the most celebrated filmmakers.
As fans passionately fight for 'The Hunt for Ben Solo,' it reminds us that while some projects feel destined to be, corporate decisions often have the final say. Will Disney listen to the fervent pleas of the fandom and resurrect Ben Solo, or will this highly anticipated film remain a fascinating footnote in Star Wars history?
FAQ: Your Burning Questions About The Hunt for Ben Solo
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