Stephen Soderbergh says Disney axed 'Hunt for Ben Solo'

Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Stephen Soderbergh told “The Playlist” he will not revive “The Hunt for Ben Solo” under Disney’s new leadership, saying “nope” and that if it was going to happen it would have happened.
- Adam Driver disclosed in an October 2025 AP interview that he spent two years developing the Ben Solo/Kylo Ren movie with Soderbergh before Disney executives pulled the plug.
- Bob Iger and Alan Bergman rejected the project after Lucasfilm executives Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Cary Beck praised the script, saying they didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive.
- Disney axed the film before even hearing its projected budget, prompting Soderbergh to describe the decision as “insane” and a source of frustration.
- Star Wars fans funded a plane banner that flew over Walt Disney Studios in Burbank reading “Save ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’” to pressure the studio.
- Dave Filoni now serves as co‑president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm after Kennedy stepped down, overseeing the franchise while the Ben Solo project remains dead.
- Josh D’Amaro is Disney’s current CEO, succeeding Bob Iger, and has not indicated any interest in reviving the cancelled film.
Why it matters: The cancellation denies Disney the chance to expand the franchise with a fan‑favored, character‑driven sequel, while depriving Adam Driver and Stephen Soderbergh of a high‑profile Star Wars entry and disappointing a mobilized fan base that even staged a banner protest.




