Adam Driver, known for his role as Ben Solo in the Star Wars franchise, recently expressed his aspirations to reunite with acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh for a film titled The Hunt for Ben Solo. This tentative spin-off of The CW’s Arrowverse was intended as a deep dive into the character’s messy origin story. Lucasfilm eventually decided against producing it.
Driver, who had first paired with Soderbergh on the acclaimed heist film Logan Lucky, was particularly sure of their working dynamic. He hoped their collaboration could bring a new light to the universe of Star Wars. He took it upon himself to start digging deep into this side of the franchise. He pitched an entire script for The Hunt for Ben Solo to Lucasfilm. Unfortunately for his enthusiasm, the studio passed on the project.
In reflecting on the potential of a Soderbergh-directed Star Wars film, Driver stated he was “baffled as to why anyone wouldn’t want to see a Steven Soderbergh Star Wars movie.” The actor holds a deep appreciation for Soderbergh’s filmmaking style, noting how he “lives his code, lives his ethics, doesn’t compromise.”
Driver’s portrayal of Ben Solo concluded in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, where the character met his demise. And as discussed with the impossibly tricky task of redeeming Kylo Ren in any future adventures. He knows it’ll be almost impossible to please fans over how he’ll resurrect. “I don’t think it is viable to explain Kylo Ren’s resurrection,” he remarked.
The rise of Skywalker unleashed a tsunami of divisive reactions from audiences. She noted that this movie “traumatized Star Wars fans” – resurrecting the Emperor and dismissing everything established in the prior, final installment. Additionally, he pointed out the introduction of concepts such as the “Force dyad,” which he felt muddied the water of the existing lore.
Even with these critiques, Driver is positive for the continued future of Star Wars, especially in context of Daisy Ridley’s character, Rey. He says he’d like to see her become a key figure in trying to bring the Jedi Order back in future films.
The Hunt for Ben Solo was envisioned as a character-driven narrative that would resonate with fans while maintaining an economical budget. Driver articulated this vision by saying, “We wanted to be economical with it, and do it for less than most but in the same spirit of what those movies are, which is handmade and character-driven.”