Steven Soderbergh on The Dissapointment of His Scrapped STAR WARS Film THE HUNT FOR BEN SOLO

There’s no shortage of Star Wars projects in development, but for every movie that makes it to the screen, there’s another that quietly disappears.

One of the most baffling cancellations is The Hunt for Ben Solo, a film that would have reunited Steven Soderbergh with his Logan Lucky star Adam Driver for a return to a galaxy far, far away.

Now Soderbergh is finally opening up about what happened and why the project fell apart, and it’s clear the whole thing still stings.

Lucasfilm had a finished script they were reportedly excited about. The story would have centered on Ben Solo, following the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

But despite the creative team having a complete screenplay ready to go, and Lucasfilm backing it, Disney stepped in and shut it down. The reason? Executives reportedly couldn’t wrap their heads around how Ben Solo could still be alive after his apparent death in the final chapter of the sequel trilogy.

Speaking with BKMAG, Soderbergh didn’t sugarcoat the experience.

“No, it was no surprise that she was frustrated. We were all frustrated. You know, that was two and a half years of free work for me and Adam [Driver], and Rebecca Blunt,” he said.

“When Adam and I discussed him talking about it publicly, I said, ‘Look, do not editorialize or speculate about the why. Just say what happened, because all we know is what happened.’ The stated reason was ‘We don’t think Ben Solo could be alive.’ And that was all we were told.

“And so there’s nothing to do about it, you know, except move on. And as I posted, I’d kind of made the movie in my head, and just felt bad that nobody else was going to get to see it. I thought the conversation was strictly going to be a practical one—where they go, what is this going to cost?

“And I had a really good answer for that. But it never even got to that point. It’s insane. We’re all very disappointed.”

Two and a half years of unpaid development work. A finished script. A director with a track record of delivering smart, cost-conscious films, and it never even got to a budget discussion. That’s wild!

The news about The Hunt for Ben Solo first surfaced months ago when Driver revealed its existence, and fans immediately rallied around it. Social media lit up with calls for Lucasfilm to reconsider.

But, as of now, reports say there are “no plans” for Driver to return to Star Wars. That said, Hollywood changes fast, especially when there’s a shakeup at the top.

Disney is currently entering a new era with Josh D’Amaro stepping in as CEO, replacing Bob Iger. Since Disney was the company that ultimately rejected the film, some fans are holding out hope that new leadership could mean a fresh look at shelved projects.

Lucasfilm itself is also going through major changes. Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan have taken over as co-presidents, replacing Kathleen Kennedy, who originally approved the script for The Hunt for Ben Solo before Disney pulled the plug.

While Filoni and Brennan worked closely with Kennedy, they’re now steering the franchise, and that means new priorities and possibly a new long-term roadmap.

For now, the upcoming theatrical slate is locked in with The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, both greenlit during Kennedy’s tenure.

Beyond Starfighter, which is currently dated for 2027, things get murkier. There are plenty of rumored projects floating around, including a trilogy from Simon Kinberg, reportedly centered on Rey. But nothing else has an official release date.

That uncertainty is what makes the cancellation of The Hunt for Ben Solo feel even stranger. Star Wars has struggled for years with scripts being rewritten, directors exiting, and projects stalling. Having a completed screenplay from a filmmaker like Soderbergh seems like something most studios would jump on, not shelve.

Of course, bringing Ben Solo back from the dead would’ve sparked debate. But let’s be honest, resurrection isn’t exactly unheard of in this franchise.

At this point, whether The Hunt for Ben Solo ever sees the light of day depends on whether Lucasfilm’s new leadership believes there’s room for it in their vision of the future. If other Star Wars movies continue to struggle to get off the ground, revisiting a fully developed project with Adam Driver attached might start looking pretty appealing.

Until then, the movie exists only in Soderbergh’s head and in the imaginations of fans who were ready to see Ben Solo’s story continue. And judging by his comments, that’s a reality he isn’t thrilled about.