Disney Rejects Adam Driver’s Proposed Star Wars Sequel Focusing on Ben Solo

– Actor Adam Driver has revealed that Disney declined a Star Wars sequel centered around his character, Ben Solo, despite Lucasfilm’s approval.
– Driver, along with Steven Soderbergh and Rebecca Blunt, created a storyline with scriptwriter Scott Z. Burns for a film titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, but Disney execs Bob Iger and Alan Bergman rejected the idea.
– While Driver’s character Kylo Ren dies at the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the proposal suggested a narrative continuation where Ben Solo was alive, which Disney found unconvincing.

Adam Driver, who was nominated for an Oscar, has disclosed that his proposal for a Star Wars sequel focussed on Ben Solo was rejected by Disney, even though Lucasfilm had approved it. Known for his role as the offspring of Han Solo and Leia Organa, and the grandchild of Anakin Skywalker (better recognized as Darth Vader), the character later transforms into evil Kylo Ren. Driver elaborated about this sequel concept when speaking with The Associated Press in an interview.

Driver revealed that he had always been willing to work on another Star Wars sequel. “I had been discussing about working on another sequel since 2021. I received a communication from Kathleen [Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm]. I always replied: If the director and the story are good, I would be instantly ready. I was truly fond of that character and really enjoyed bringing him to life,” Driver remarked.

The actor, famous for his role in The Megalopolis, mentioned that he then proposed his concept to the filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, and added that the film’s events would have occurred after those of The Rise of Skywalker, which was released in 2019. Driver was also a part of 2015’s The Force Awakens and 2017’s The Last Jedi.

The story concept was then outlined by Soderbergh and Rebecca Blunt, following which they recruited Scott Z. Burns to pen a script. Driver labeled it as one of the best scripts he had ever been involved with.

The star of The House of Gucci added, “The script was presented to Lucasfilm. They really appreciated the idea. They completely grasped the significance of our angle and understood why we were implementing it.”

However, despite the promising situation, there were some more individuals whom Driver needed to convince for the film, tentatively named The Hunt for Ben Solo, to become a reality. He ran into obstacles when he presented the concept to Disney executives.

Driver remembered, “We presented it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and their response was negative. They couldn’t comprehend how Ben Solo was alive. That concluded it.” Kylo Ren, Driver’s character, followed a path of redemption throughout the trilogy, and he finally succumbs in The Rise of Skywalker.

Although he stated the sequel concept “was indeed impressive,” he added, “It’s totally abandoned now, so I’m free to discuss it.”

Soderbergh also contributed a statement to The Associated Press, stating, “I genuinely relished in creating the movie in my imagination. I’m just sad that the fans will be unable to watch it.”