Director Steven Soderbergh hasn’t been shy about answering questions associated to his scrapped “Star Wars” movie, “The Hunt For Ben Solo.” He and actor Adam Driver, who performed Kylo Ren/Ben Solo within the sequel trilogy, labored on the mission for years earlier than it was finally scrapped by Disney.
Earlier than unveiling his new John Lennon documentary forward of its Cannes premiere, Soderbergh spoke to Deadline concerning the shelved Ben Solo film. They requested what different main franchise might “tempt” him; nonetheless, plainly the director has completely no plans to create one other franchise movie after his cope with Lucasfilm fell aside.
“It’s not coming to thoughts … I’m not a snob, clearly,” Soderbergh stated. “You possibly can see that from my checklist of credit. [But] the sensation needs to be, ‘I can’t bear the concept of any individual else doing this. I’m the particular person to do that.’ It needs to be that.”
“So given my background, there are simply sure genres that I’m not steeped in: Didn’t learn that stuff, wasn’t uncovered to that stuff. You understand what I imply?” he continued. “I didn’t purchase or learn comedian books, as an example. In order that complete area, I don’t have an issue with it — it’s simply not in my DNA, and I wouldn’t be good at it.”
Soderbergh Thought His Scrapped ‘Star Wars’ Movie Would Be ‘The Greatest Factor’ He Ever Made
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Soderbergh admitted that he had been taking up smaller tasks over the previous few years and thought {that a} journey to a galaxy far, far-off could be the sort of formidable mission he was on the lookout for.
“Star Wars was going to occupy that slot. That was going to be the most important factor I’ve ever tried to make. And I used to be enthusiastic about engaged on a giant canvas,” he stated. “You understand, it’s been some time. I’ve obtained different stuff that I’m attempting to get going that’ll fulfill that need.”
He admitted that he had been engaged on the canceled “Star Wars” movie for a “very long time,” however in contrast complaining about its cancellation to “complaining concerning the climate,” including, “You simply must determine it out.”
Steven Soderbergh Has No Plans To Return To A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Though some “Star Wars” followers are hopeful that the script might sometime get made, Steven Soderbergh advised The Playlist that the movie is useless, saying, “Look, if it was gonna occur, it will have occurred.”
“It’s that straightforward,” he added, giving a transparent “Nope” when requested if he would ever return to the mission.
Nevertheless, he stated that he had no regrets about engaged on the mission. “I don’t remorse one minute of the time we spent engaged on that,” he stated. “I felt the work was good. It’s simply good so that you can be in that room and dealing on it. It’s like CrossFit—it’s good for you. It’ll have a residual impact that shall be surprising sooner or later.”
Soderbergh Reveals The Concept Got here From Adam Driver
Throughout the identical interview, Soderbergh additionally revealed that Driver was the one who had introduced up the concept of constructing one other film centered on the character. “It was strictly Adam saying, ‘I believe there’s nonetheless someplace to go along with this character.’ That’s the way it began,” Soderbergh revealed.
Whereas talking to Variety, he revealed that Driver “felt unhealthy” about getting him concerned within the mission, just for it to be shut down.
“Adam felt unhealthy for having gotten me into it. I believe he felt like he wasted my time, and I made it clear to him, ‘Dude, that was not wasted time.’ It’s a problem-solving expertise that may get utilized to the whole lot I do going ahead,” Soderbergh stated.
“I’m not upset,” he continued. “I really feel constructive about the whole lot that we did collectively.”
Steven Soderbergh Is Nonetheless ‘Disillusioned’ About How It All Performed Out
Despite the fact that he doesn’t take into account it wasted time, he advised the BK Mag that they have been “all pissed off” that the movie was canceled after they’d already written the script.
“You understand, that was two and a half years of free work for me and Adam and [writer] Rebecca Blunt,” he defined. “When Adam and I mentioned him speaking about it publicly, I stated, ‘Look, don’t editorialize or speculate concerning the why. Simply say what occurred, as a result of all we all know is what occurred.’ The said purpose was, ‘We don’t suppose Ben Solo may very well be alive.’ And that was all we have been advised. And so there’s nothing to do about it, you understand, besides transfer on.”
“I’d sort of made the film in my head, and simply felt unhealthy that no person else was going to get to see it,” he continued. “I believed the dialog was strictly going to be a sensible one—the place they go, what is that this going to price? And I had a very good reply for that. But it surely by no means even obtained to that time. It’s insane. We’re all very disillusioned.”
Adam Driver Revealed The Movie’s Existence In October 2025
In October 2025, Driver advised AP News that he was “all the time ” in doing one other movie in a galaxy far, far-off and labored on the concept with Soderbergh after Kathleen Kennedy had “reached out.”
They introduced a script, written by Scott Z. Burns, to Kennedy, Lucasfilm vice chairman Cary Beck, and Lucasfilm chief artistic officer Dave Filoni.
“We introduced the script to Lucasfilm. They beloved the concept. They completely understood our angle and why we have been doing it,” Driver defined. “We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, they usually stated no. They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”
Though many followers are disillusioned that Disney canceled “The Hunt For Ben Solo,” the franchise lately returned to theaters for the primary time in years. “The Mandalorian & Grogu” was the primary film launched since 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” It will likely be adopted by “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which is scheduled to hit theaters in Could 2027.
