Adam Driver reveals Disney canceled his Ben Solo Star Wars sequel, know why
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Adam Driver Photograph: (X)
Adam Driver, renowned for the role of Kylo Ren in Star Wars, opened up about how Disney dropped his plan for Ben Solo Star Wars sequel.
Adam Driver, best known for his portrayal of Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, recently revealed that Disney shut down his ambitious plan for a follow-up film centered on his character, Ben Solo, even though Lucasfilm was completely on board with the project.
In a new interview with The Associated Press, the Oscar-nominated actor shared that he had been in talks about returning to the galaxy far, far away since 2021. “I always was interested in doing another Star Wars,” Driver said. “Kathleen (Kennedy, Lucasfilm president) had reached out. I always said, with a great director and a great story, I’d be there in a second. I loved that character and loved playing him.”
A sequel that never saw the light
Driver explained that the film, tentatively titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, was conceived as a continuation of The Rise of Skywalker (2019), exploring what might have happened if Ben Solo had survived his redemptive act. To bring the idea to life, Driver collaborated with filmmaker Steven Soderbergh and writer Rebecca Blunt. The two later brought in acclaimed screenwriter Scott Z. Burns to pen what Driver described as “one of the coolest (expletive) scripts I had ever been a part of.”
Lucasfilm executives, including Kathleen Kennedy, Carrie Beck, and Dave Filoni, reportedly “loved the idea” and supported its development. However, the enthusiasm hit a roadblock when the project reached Disney’s top leadership.
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Disney execs said no
“We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and they said no,” Driver recalled. “They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”
Despite the popular Star Wars tradition of resurrecting major characters, from Emperor Palpatine to Boba Fett and Darth Maul, Disney executives weren’t convinced about bringing Ben Solo back from his apparent death at the end of The Rise of Skywalker.
Soderbergh, who previously worked with Driver on Logan Lucky, expressed his disappointment in a statement to AP, “I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it.”
What could have been
The film was envisioned as a character-driven story that returned to the handmade feel and emotional intensity of George Lucas’s original trilogy. According to Driver, the concept would have explored Ben Solo’s path to redemption and the lingering pull between light and dark within him. An arc he felt was left unfinished. “It was really cool,” the Ferrari star added. “But it is no more, so I can finally talk about it.”
The future of Star Wars
While The Hunt for Ben Solo won’t be joining the Star Wars canon, the franchise is far from dormant. Disney and Lucasfilm are preparing to release The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22, 2026, followed by Star Wars: Starfighter starring Ryan Gosling in 2027. Other upcoming projects include a Daisy Ridley-led film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a James Mangold feature exploring the origins of the Force, and a new trilogy helmed by X-Men filmmaker Simon Kinberg.
