Director Steven Soderbergh has been completely transparent about how Disney axed his plans to make a new Star Wars movie starring Adam Driver, called The Hunt for Ben Solo. Although Soderbergh’s frustration with the studio is clear, the sequel could still happen.
The Hunt for Ben Solo was revealed in October 2025 when Driver explained how he felt there was unfinished business for Kylo Ren/Ben Solo following his redemption at the end of 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.
Kylo’s role in the sequel trilogy was to invoke the legacy of Darth Vader, even mirroring his ultimate turn to the Light side of the Force to defeat Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). In redeeming himself, he returned back to being Ben Solo, and ultimately sacrificed himself to revive Rey (Daisy Ridley) following the fight with the Emperor.
The Hunt for Ben Solo would explore Driver’s character even further, but Soderbergh recently told BK Mag: “The stated reason was ‘We don’t think Ben Solo could be alive.’ And that was all we were told.” Which seems a little odd given The Rise of Skywalker started with: “Somehow, Palpatine has returned.” But there’s still a way the Ben Solo movie could happen.
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When Driver spoke to the Associated Press in October, he explained that Lucasfilm “loved” the script for the film and liked what the duo had planned for the character. However the project was stopped in its tracks when they took it up the chain to 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.”
Now, it’s worth pointing out that Disney CEO Bob Iger is gearing up to leave the role as Josh D’Amaro steps up to take over the reins of the company. Since Driver and Soderbergh have discussed the failed project, fans have been incredibly vocal about wanting to see the movie so that the character’s story could continue.
One way D’Amaro could make a splash in his new role when he takes over in March is by proving that the company listens to what fans want. Greenlighting The Hunt for Ben Solo could buy him a lot of goodwill from fans and Lucasfilm.
Of course, getting a movie off the ground is not that straightforward and we’re writing this without knowledge of the financials behind Soderbergh’s plans, but it also sounds like Iger and Bergman did not take budget into consideration.
When speaking to BK Mag about his Star Wars movie, Soderbergh said: “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.”
Then there’s the fact that there is a planned movie around Rey’s new Jedi Order from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, but that hasn’t materialized since it was announced four years ago in May 2022. Yes, The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter are on the horizon, but it’s odd that it’s taken Disney almost seven years to get a new Star Wars movie in theaters.
From an outside perspective, it would seem sensible to fold Rey into The Hunt for Ben Solo as an official continuation of the sequel trilogy, rather than letting Obaid-Chinoy’s film languish in development hell for another several years. Perhaps Driver and Soderbergh are using Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool tactic to dangle The Hunt for Ben Solo in front of fans in the hope of getting it made.
Let’s just hope D’Amaro is listening.
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