Steven Soderbergh revealed details about his unmade Star Wars project, The Hunt for Ben Solo, following actor Adam Driver’s public mention of the film. The director acknowledged on BlueSky that although he did not enjoy concealing the project from fans, keeping it confidential was necessary until the right time.
The Story Behind ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’
The planned film was set to explore the story of Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo, in the period after The Rise of Skywalker. It would have focused on the character’s journey toward redemption. Driver described it as “one of the coolest” projects he has been involved with. Soderbergh previously told the Associated Press that he
“really enjoyed making the movie in my head”
but regretted that fans would not get to see it come to life.
Industry Insights and Responses
In a follow-up statement, Soderbergh shared a conversation with producer Kathy Kennedy, who confirmed that Lucasfilm had never before submitted a finished script to Disney for approval that got rejected, marking this as a first in the studio’s history. Meanwhile, fans of Star Wars demonstrated their support by funding a plane to fly a banner over Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, reading
“Save ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo.’”
This stunt was documented by a reporter from Collider on site.
What This Means for the Future of the Project
The cancellation of The Hunt for Ben Solo has left both creators and fans wanting answers, highlighting the significance of the film within the larger Star Wars universe. Given the rarity of such a rejection by Disney, this development may influence how future projects are pitched and released. For now, the film remains a secret that Steven Soderbergh had to carefully guard, underscoring the complexities of managing high-profile franchises.
For the record, I did not enjoy lying about the existence of ‘THE HUNT FOR BEN SOLO,’ but it really did need to remain a secret…until now!
Steven Soderbergh, Director
Also, in the aftermath of the ‘HFBS’ situation, I asked Kathy Kennedy if LFL had ever turned in a finished movie script for greenlight to Disney and had it rejected. She said no, this was a first.
Steven Soderbergh, Director
I really enjoyed making the movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans won’t get to see it.
Steven Soderbergh, Director
Save ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’
Banner flown by fans over Walt Disney Studios
