Star Wars fans were taken by surprise by the news that a The Hunt for Ben Solo film starring Adam Driver had been scrapped by Disney. The news came courtesy of Adam Driver, who unexpectedly revealed he had partnered up with director Steven Soderbergh to develop The Hunt for Ben Solo. According to Driver, the film was supposed to take place after The Rise of Skywalker, and would have focused on the former Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, after his redemption at the end of the movie.
Shortly after the news came out, the scrapped project became the topic of conversation among fans. The reach of the scrapped movie has been such, that even a popular Star Wars director has given his thoughts on it. During an interview with Collider, Rian Johnson, who directed 2017's The Last Jedi, was asked about Driver's canceled film. The Knives Out director stated he had no knowledge of the project's existence prior to it hitting the news, but expressed his interest in watching Driver take on the role of Ben Solo once again:
"Take my money! I only know what I read about it online. I didn't know anything about it, but who knows how things are developed these days? But man, I will watch Driver in anything, but I would love to see him play that character again."
Ultimately, his comments are surface-level, which is understandable, given that he's talking about a canceled project from a franchise he contributed to. Nevertheless, Johnson's The Last Jedi was arguably the one responsible for a lot of Kylo Ren's character development. As such, it's interesting to get his thoughts on a project that would have starred the fallen Jedi.
When speaking to AP, Driver revealed that, while Lucasfilm was excited about the project, it was ultimately scrapped when it was pitched to Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Co-Chairman Alan Bergman:
"We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it. 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 mentioned, excitement for the film reached unexpected heights following its reveal. Just a few days after Driver talked about the movie's existence (or lack thereof), a plane commissioned by an impassioned fan flew over Disney Studios with a banner reading, "Save The Hunt for Ben Solo." Speaking to Collider, the fan responsible for the stunt, Lianna Al Allaf, explained her hopes for the message: "I hope this banner shows just how much the character of Ben Solo means to so many of us."
Star Wars will return to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, slated to hit theaters on May 22, 2026.
What do you think about Johnson's comments on The Hunt for Ben Solo? What are your thoughts on The Last Jedi?