MOVIE NEWS – It looked spectacular, yet Disney shelved a brand-new Star Wars film focused on Kylo Ren, and I can’t make sense of it. “One of the most spectacular scripts I’ve ever been a part of.” The aborted Kylo Ren project even had a director as unexpected as he was prestigious.

As a Star Wars fan, I welcome any new project set in that galaxy, whether it ends up to my taste or not. But a Steven Soderbergh–directed Kylo Ren solo movie is an unconditional YES. That Disney passed on it is simply incomprehensible to me.

Fans across the galaxy were left speechless

Adam Driver told the Associated Press that in 2021, he began developing a post-Rise of Skywalker film because he felt “unfinished business” with Ben Solo. He turned to Steven Soderbergh — with whom he worked on Logan Lucky — and, together with Rebecca Blunt (Jules Asner’s pen name), they drafted a story outline. Scott Z. Burns later wrote the full script, which Driver called “one of the most spectacular scripts I’ve ever been a part of.”

The project, titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, promised to explore Kylo Ren’s life after the sequel saga, focusing on his redemption and the trials he would face following his apparent death. With a director of Soderbergh’s stature and a lead actor deeply committed to the character, it had all the ingredients for a creative and likely commercial success.

So why did Disney say no?

Most surprisingly, Driver said Lucasfilm (Kathleen Kennedy, Cary Beck, Dave Filoni) was enthusiastic and fully understood the approach. Soderbergh even told AP he had “made the movie in his head,” lamenting that fans would never see it.

However, when the idea reached the desks of Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, the response was negative. According to Driver, executives could not accept Ben Solo being alive after The Rise of Skywalker. That feels contradictory given the franchise’s precedents: Emperor Palpatine was brought back in the same trilogy, and Disney has used digital technologies to “revive” or de-age actors (Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill). Meanwhile, Marvel-published comics keep Ben/Kylo in relatively inconsequential side stories — yet a bold film concept gets rejected.

Fan reactions: anger and disbelief

The news spread rapidly across fandom. On social media, frustration and astonishment dominated; many consider it one of the saga’s biggest missed opportunities. One X user wrote: “If Soderbergh wants to make a Star Wars movie with Adam Driver and you don’t do it, you deserve every failure.” Another quipped, “Where was this energy to resurrect Palpatine? Bob Iger, what are you doing?” Beyond memes, the reaction reflects a shared sentiment: Star Wars seems increasingly cautious, favoring safe bets and minimal-risk projects while sidelining ideas that could bring freshness and originality.

What’s left for us

What remains is a mix of frustrated enthusiasm and an enduring “what if.” Although The Hunt for Ben Solo won’t happen, fans still have plenty to enjoy. The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22, 2026) and Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28, 2027) will continue expanding the galaxy in theaters and on platforms. Disney+ carries the full slate of Star Wars films and series for anyone wanting to revisit or discover every corner of that universe.

Source: 3DJuegos