Rian Johnson Wants THE HUNT FOR BEN SOLO to Happen: “Take My Money!”
Director Rian Johnson is making it clear where he stands on the Adam Driver’s cancelled Star Wars project The Hunt for Ben Solo. The Star Wars filmmaker, who directed Driver in The Last Jedi, is all in on seeing the actor return to the galaxy far, far away.
Ever since word spread about The Hunt for Ben Solo, fans have been rallying to learn more about the mysterious, shelved project. The idea of a film centered around Ben Solo after The Rise of Skywalker has sparked serious excitement, and Johnson is right there with the fans.
In a recent chat with Collider, Johnson didn’t hold back his enthusiasm, saying:
“Take my money! I only know what I read about it online,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know anything about it, but who knows how things are developed these days? But man, I will watch Driver in anything, but I would love to see him play that character again.”
That’s some strong support from one of Star Wars’ most polarizing directors, and one of the few people who truly understood the complexity of Ben Solo’s arc.
Last month, Driver revealed that he had teamed up with Steven Soderbergh to develop The Hunt for Ben Solo, a Star Wars film that would explore the character’s life after The Rise of Skywalker.
The pair reportedly pitched the concept up the chain at Disney, reaching Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, but the project was ultimately turned down. The reason? Executives couldn’t seem to wrap their heads around making a Ben Solo movie since the character dies at the end of The Rise of Skywalker.
That rejection hasn’t stopped fans from fighting for it. The idea of The Hunt for Ben Solo has sparked an entire grassroots movement. Supporters have organized rallies in New York City and Los Angeles, written letters and petitions to Disney, and even funded a plane to fly over the studio’s Burbank offices with the message: “Save The Hunt for Ben Solo.”
Disney reportedly has no plans to revisit the project, but the fan energy surrounding it isn’t dying down.