Disney Rejects Completed Star Wars: Hunt for Ben Solo Script

Steven Soderbergh and Adam Driver developed a Star Wars film titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, intended to continue the story of Driver’s character Ben Solo after The Rise of Skywalker. Despite receiving support from Lucasfilm executives like Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni, the project was ultimately rejected by Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman because they found the concept of Ben Solo's survival unconvincing. This rejection marked the first time Disney had rejected a fully completed Star Wars script that had already been approved by Lucasfilm, a fact confirmed by Soderbergh. Both Soderbergh and Driver expressed disappointment over the project's cancellation, with Driver calling the script one of the coolest he has been part of, and fans have since campaigned for the film's release, including flying banners over Disney studios. The story was described as character-driven and inspired by The Empire Strikes Back, highlighting unfinished business for Driver's character. The rejection has fueled speculation and interest in future Star Wars projects, possibly involving Kylo Ren's return.