Adam Driver Says His Kylo Ren Days Are Over After ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ Was Shut Down
Adam Driver’s run as Kylo Ren became one of the defining parts of the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy. He played the conflicted villain in ‘The Force Awakens’ and ‘The Last Jedi’ before the character was redeemed as Ben Solo in ‘The Rise of Skywalker’, where he dies at the end of the film.
Even so, Driver had been open about wanting to return. He said he was always interested in making another ‘Star Wars’ film and had been discussing it since 2021. Now the actor says that chapter is finished. In an interview on ‘The Rich Eisen Show‘, Driver said he’s done playing Kylo Ren, explaining that it’s over, there will be no more ‘Star Wars’, and that he and his collaborators tried.
Driver said the team pitched one more film, but the response was that the character is dead. He added that he thinks the ship has sailed on any revival. The project was called ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’. Driver developed it with director Steven Soderbergh and writer Rebecca Blunt, and Scott Z. Burns was brought on to work on the script.
Driver said they worked on it for a few years and called the script really good, describing the result as awesome. Dark Horizons reports that the story would have followed Ben Solo on a redemptive path after the events of ‘The Rise of Skywalker’.
The script reportedly had support inside Lucasfilm. In an interview with the Associated Press last October, Driver said the team presented it to Lucasfilm and that the studio loved the idea.
Big sidenote; Steven Soderbergh initially wanting to do a Kylo Ren film w/ Adam Driver STILL would’ve been awesome! Also The Batman Part II is definitely in secured hands of Soderbergh assisting due to Matt Reeves’ temporary departure https://t.co/qPDvr1LrOn
— J.P SAW-IT 🦖 (@MovieBaller_JP) November 5, 2026
However, Driver said the project went to Disney leadership, including Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, who turned it down. According to Driver, they didn’t see how Ben Solo could be alive, and he noted on Rich Eisen’s show that he doesn’t get to decide.
The cancellation sparked a passionate fan response. Driver called the support pretty incredible and said he never expected fans to put up billboards and fly planes on behalf of the character.
Despite the campaign, Disney has held firm. Dark Horizons notes that Dave Filoni confirmed in August that the project is absolutely dead. Lucasfilm is moving in a different direction for the franchise’s future on the big screen. Reports say Jon Watts will direct a new ‘Star Wars’ film with Simon Kinberg writing, and Daisy Ridley is reportedly expected to return as Rey.
Check out the new trailer for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’! It’s lit #TheLastJedi https://t.co/jxvndRQV02
— Geeks of Color (@GeeksOfColor) October 10, 2017
Some coverage has speculated that Ben Solo elements could resurface in future stories, but nothing has been confirmed. For now, Driver’s comments suggest he isn’t expecting a call back to that galaxy.
Driver isn’t leaving blockbuster filmmaking behind. He has been cast as Nathan Milbury, also known as Mister Sinister, in Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ reboot, a casting announced at Disney’s D23 event.
That role gives Driver a new villain to play in another major franchise. ‘Star Wars’ fans hoping to see Ben Solo again, though, may have to accept that his story ended with ‘The Rise of Skywalker’.
Do you wish Disney had greenlit The Hunt for Ben Solo with Adam Driver returning to Star Wars?
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