Adam Driver Shuts Down Star Wars Return as Ben Solo Spinoff Stays Dead

Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, the actor revealed that Disney rejected Steven Soderbergh's completed screenplay because studio leadership could not reconcile reviving the fallen warrior after The Rise of Skywalker.

Adam Driver has confirmed that his time in the Star Wars franchise is over, ending lingering speculation surrounding the shelved spinoff titled The Hunt for Ben Solo. Speaking Wednesday on The Rich Eisen Show while promoting his upcoming drama Paper Tiger, the actor stated unequivocally that he will not reprise his role as the fallen warrior Kylo Ren.

Asked by host Rich Eisen whether he would consider returning to the galaxy, Driver explained that an ambitious push to create a standalone feature centered on his sequel trilogy character had run its course. Following collaborative work with director Steven Soderbergh to craft a narrative continuation after 2019's The Rise of Skywalker, executive leadership at The Walt Disney Company opted against putting the film into production.

"It's over," Driver said during the broadcast. "No more Star Wars. We tried." The actor added that when the creative team presented the completed screenplay to top Disney brass, the corporate response proved unbending. "We tried to do one more, yeah, but they were like, 'No, he's dead.'"

The abandoned project began taking shape in 2021 when Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy contacted Driver to gauge his willingness to return to the character. Driver embraced the possibility and approached Soderbergh, who directed him in the 2017 caper Logan Lucky. Together, the pair mapped out a story treatment alongside writer Rebecca Blunt, the credited pseudonym used by Soderbergh's wife, Jules Asner. Lucasfilm subsequently hired screenwriter Scott Z. Burns, who received a reported $3 million fee for the script.

Operating under the working title Quiet Leaves, the production advanced into early staffing and design sprints with Lucasfilm artists. Creative leadership, including Kennedy, chief creative officer Dave Filoni, and vice president Carrie Beck, backed the material. But when the package reached Disney chief executive Bob Iger and entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman, studio leadership declined to proceed. Driver noted that Disney executives expressed confusion over how Ben Solo could return after sacrificing his life force to revive Rey on Exegol.

Driver and Soderbergh initially disclosed the project in October 2025, speaking publicly only after Lucasfilm internally classified the venture as inactive, releasing them from contractual secrecy. That disclosure ignited an enthusiastic grassroots effort from fans eager to see Driver revisit the role under Soderbergh's direction. Supporters organized visible campaigns, hiring an airplane with a banner reading Save The Hunt for Ben Solo to circle Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, and buying billboards in Times Square.

During Wednesday's broadcast, Driver voiced appreciation for that fan response while making clear that the decision remains outside his control. "The fans' response to it, though, was pretty incredible. I didn't expect that it was going to be billboards and people flying planes over Disney and things like that," Driver said. When pressed on whether he would consider returning if studio leaders reconsidered, Driver demurred: "If they wanted to, fine. But we're not... It's not our call. I think the ship has sailed though."

His definitive remarks follow earlier signals from key collaborators. In April 2026, Soderbergh stated that he had transitioned to other work, remarking that the production would have happened already if it had studio backing. Filoni reiterated that reality at Disney's D23 convention in August 2026, confirming the spinoff would not enter production.

Although devotees of the sequel trilogy regretted the shelving of an auteur-driven Star Wars chapter, the project's permanent cancellation protects narrative stakes within a franchise often faulted for resurrecting deceased figures. In The Rise of Skywalker, Ben Solo's redemptive sacrifice closed the Skywalker family saga and delivered a definitive emotional resolution. Reversing that passing through convoluted plot mechanics risked undermining the emotional weight of his final choice.

The sci-fi franchise previously drew criticism for reversing major deaths, most notably when Emperor Palpatine reappeared in Episode IX without narrative groundwork. By allowing Ben Solo's death to stand permanently alongside meaningful franchise sacrifices like Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels, the property preserves emotional consequences for its characters. Lucasfilm is now focusing its cinematic resources on new stories, advancing Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter toward a scheduled theatrical release in May 2027.

Source:

The Rich Eisen Show (The Roku Channel / YouTube) November 4, 2026

TheWrap November 4, 2026

Adam Driver Says 'The Ship Has Sailed' on 'The Hunt for Ben Solo' and He's Done Playing Kylo Ren: 'It's Over' November 5, 2026

Polygon October 21, 2025