What was The Hunt for Ben Solo about?

It was a canceled Star Wars sequel centered on Ben Solo’s redemption and survival after The Rise of Skywalker.

Who was attached to the project?

Adam Driver (Ben Solo), Steven Soderbergh (director), Rebecca Blunt (co-writer), and Scott Z. Burns (screenwriter).

Why was the movie canceled?

Disney executives reportedly rejected the pitch, citing confusion over Ben’s resurrection, despite internal support from Lucasfilm.

Social media exploded with memes, petitions, and calls for Disney to revive the project under the hashtag #HuntingForBenSolo.

Could the story return in another form?

Possibly — as a Disney+ series, comic adaptation, or future expanded-universe project, especially given Adam Driver’s willingness to return.

The Hunt for Ben Solo – The Star Wars Sequel Disney Canceled

In a galaxy full of untold stories, one nearly made it past the Disney gates: The Hunt for Ben Solo — a bold, character-driven Star Wars sequel that would have resurrected Adam Driver’s conflicted Jedi-turned-Sith-turned-savior for one final redemption arc.

According to newly surfaced details and fan discussions lighting up X (formerly Twitter), this project was meant to pick up right after The Rise of Skywalker, diving deep into Ben Solo’s survival, guilt, and search for peace. But in true Star Wars irony, the same studio that brought back Emperor Palpatine with a single line — “somehow, Palpatine returned” — decided this resurrection was a step too far.

Now, The Hunt for Ben Solo has become the greatest Star Wars film never made.

What Was The Hunt for Ben Solo?

Imagine this: Ben Solo — son of Leia Organa and Han Solo, grandson of Darth Vader — awakens in the aftermath of Exegol, somehow alive after his sacrifice for Rey. Haunted but hopeful, he seeks redemption in a galaxy torn between rebuilding and revenge.

That was the concept behind The Hunt for Ben Solo, pitched as a gritty, introspective Star Wars drama rather than another interstellar spectacle. Adam Driver himself called it “handmade and character-driven,” a smaller, emotional story inspired by the reflective tone of The Empire Strikes Back.

Driver even admitted in his Deadline interview that he had “unfinished business” with Ben Solo:

“I loved that character and loved playing him,” he said. “It was one of the coolest projects I had ever been a part of.”

The film’s title hinted at both a manhunt — remnants of the Resistance or dark-side cultists tracking the redeemed Supreme Leader — and a spiritual “hunt” for identity. Fans speculated the story would explore Ben’s mysterious dyad bond with Rey, with potential cameos from Daisy Ridley in what would have been a deeply emotional Reylo reunion.

The Dream Team Behind the Lightsaber

This wasn’t a fanfic fantasy — it was real Hollywood development. The creative team reportedly included:

Adam Driver (Ben Solo/Kylo Ren): who helped pitch the project to Lucasfilm in 2021.
Steven Soderbergh (Director): The acclaimed filmmaker behind Ocean’s Eleven and Contagion collaborated on the story outline with Logan Lucky writer Rebecca Blunt.
Scott Z. Burns (Screenwriter): Known for The Bourne Ultimatum, he polished the script into what Driver described as a “really cool draft.”

The pitch was presented to Lucasfilm’s top brass — Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Carrie Beck — and, according to insiders, was greenlit internally.

Everyone at Lucasfilm reportedly loved it.

The Corporate Force Choke

Then came the meeting with Disney HQ.

Driver and Soderbergh took the script to Disney CEO Bob Iger and Co-Chairman Alan Bergman. Their response? A flat no.

“They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that,” Driver recalled.

The irony wasn’t lost on fans. The same studio that revived Palpatine “somehow” balked at Ben’s return. One viral Reddit comment nailed the sentiment:

“Disney rejecting Steven Soderbergh because they couldn’t see how Ben Solo is still alive is peak irony considering they brought back Palpatine out of nowhere.”

X (Twitter) users piled on, with memes like:

“The Hunt for Ben Solo? More like the hunt for Bob Iger.”

Corporate priorities also played a role. Following The Rise of Skywalker’s mixed reception, Disney pivoted toward safer, fan-favorite projects like The Mandalorian spin-offs and the upcoming Starfighter film.

Soderbergh’s moody, slow-burn redemption story simply didn’t fit the “franchise roadmap.”

Fan Backlash: From Heartbreak to #HuntingForBenSolo

When Adam Driver confirmed the project’s demise in his October 20, 2025 AP interview, the fandom erupted. Within hours, hashtags like #HuntingForBenSolo and #BringBackBenSolo trended globally, with over 50,000 engagements.

Some highlights:

“Adam Driver casually dropping generational crashout material about The Hunt for Ben Solo.” — @Reylossance
“It’s called The Hunt for Ben Solo. Who do you think was doing the hunting? #Reylo” — @lighttkylo
“Now begins The Hunt for The Hunt for Ben Solo.” — @blast_points

Fans also launched a Change.org petition titled “Greenlight Star Wars: The Hunt for Ben Solo”, hitting 1,000 signatures in its first day.

Reddit’s r/StarWars community ran a poll: “Would you have watched it?” — over 90% voted yes, calling it a “wasted opportunity” for one of the franchise’s most compelling arcs.

Could The Hunt for Ben Solo Still Happen?

For now, the answer seems to be no — at least on screen. “It’s no more,” Driver admitted.

But if Star Wars has taught us anything, it’s that no story stays buried forever.

Driver has publicly stated he’d “return in a second” if the story and director felt right, and with fan pressure building online, Lucasfilm may yet revisit the idea — perhaps as a Disney+ limited series, a graphic novel, or even an animated project exploring Ben’s post-Exegol years.

In fact, Marvel’s Legacy of Vader comics already explore hints of Ben’s “lost year,” suggesting fertile ground for future storytelling.

Until then, fans can only imagine the film that might have been — a story not about galactic war, but inner peace.

Final Thoughts

The Hunt for Ben Solo could have been the emotional closure sequel-era fans were waiting for — a story about redemption, grief, and identity rather than explosions and Easter eggs.

It’s rare to see a Star Wars project that dares to look inward instead of outward. And maybe that’s why it scared the studio more than any Sith.

Still, as one fan on X put it best:

“The Force doesn’t kill stories. Corporations do.”

So here’s hoping that someday, somehow… Ben Solo returns.

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