Why Steven Soderbergh’s Ben Solo Star Wars Movie is Still Possible

Director Steven Soderbergh has openly shared his experiences regarding Disney’s decision to halt plans for a new Star Wars film titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, featuring Adam Driver. While Soderbergh’s frustration is palpable, there remains the possibility that this sequel could still come to fruition.

Unveiled in October 2025, The Hunt for Ben Solo was conceptualized after Driver expressed his belief that there was unfinished narrative potential for Kylo Ren/Ben Solo, especially following his redemption arc in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.

Within the sequel trilogy, Kylo Ren’s character was designed to parallel that of Darth Vader, culminating in his pivotal redemption where he embraces the Light side of the Force and sacrifices himself to save Rey (Daisy Ridley) in a dramatic showdown against Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).

Soderbergh’s intentions for The Hunt for Ben Solo were to delve deeper into Driver’s character. However, in an interview with BK Mag, he revealed, “The stated reason was ‘We don’t think Ben Solo could be alive.’ And that was all we were told.” This rationale seems a bit perplexing considering The Rise of Skywalker begins with the line: “Somehow, Palpatine has returned.” Yet, there could still be a pathway for the continuation of the Ben Solo saga.

Changes in Leadership at Disney Could Impact Ben Solo’s Fate

Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. — Disney

In a conversation with the Associated Press last October, Driver disclosed that Lucasfilm had a positive reception towards the script for The Hunt for Ben Solo and was excited about the creative direction. However, their enthusiasm was met with disapproval at the higher echelons of Disney. Driver stated, “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.”

As Bob Iger prepares to step down, Josh D’Amaro is poised to take over as CEO of Disney. Since the discussions around the film, fan demand has surged for the continuation of Ben Solo’s story, indicating a strong desire for its production.

One of D’Amaro’s potential opportunities to make a significant impact in his new role could be greenlighting The Hunt for Ben Solo. Doing so would likely endear him to both fans and Lucasfilm, showcasing the company’s responsiveness to their audience’s wishes.

However, initiating a movie project is inherently complex and typically requires navigating numerous financial considerations, of which details beyond Soderbergh’s vision remain unknown. It appears that Iger and Bergman may not have fully considered the associated budget for the project.

In his remarks to BK Mag regarding Star Wars, Soderbergh mentioned, “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.”

Additionally, there is an anticipated film focused on Rey’s new Jedi Order, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. However, since its announcement in May 2022, little progress has been made, leaving fans wondering about the narrative’s future. While projects like The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter are on the horizon, it is concerning that it has taken Disney nearly seven years to release a new Star Wars film.

Integrating Rey into The Hunt for Ben Solo could serve as a logical extension of the sequel trilogy and efficiently leverage existing characters, rather than allowing Obaid-Chinoy’s film to stall indefinitely. Perhaps Driver and Soderbergh are employing a strategy reminiscent of Ryan Reynolds’ approach to Deadpool, generating buzz around The Hunt for Ben Solo to encourage its production.

Ultimately, fans can only hope that D’Amaro is attentive to their desires.

Source & Images