‘The Hunt for Ben Solo‘ Had a Greenlit Script Before โLucasfilm Rejected It, Director Reveals
Los Angeles, CA -โข Aโข planned Star Wars film centered on Kylo Ren, titled The โฃHunt for Ben Solo, reached the stage of a completed script โsubmission to Disney for approval before being ultimately rejected, according to directorโ Steven Soderbergh. The revelation, made public โthis week, marksโ the first time Lucasfilm has reportedly turned down a fully finished filmโค script for greenlighting.
The project, a collaboration between Soderbergh and actorโ Adam Driver, explored the backstoryโข of Ben Solo and hisโ descent to the dark side. Driverโข publicly revealed the project on October 20, 2024, prompting a flurry of discussion among fans. โSoderbergh subsequently confirmed the project’s existence and the fact that he had previously concealed its advancement. โฃIn a series of messagesโฃ on October 22, Soderbergh stated,โค “Iโค did not enjoy lying about the existence of โคTHEโฃ HUNT FOR BEN SOLO, but itโ really did need to remain a secretโฆuntil now!”
This newsโ is significant as it challenges the conventional understanding of Lucasfilm’s development process under Disney.โฃ Previously, projects were often reported as stalling during earlier stages of development. The confirmation that a completedโ script was submitted and rejected suggests a โmore decisive rejection of the creative direction proposed for The Hunt for Ben Solo. โคBoth Soderbergh and Driver now believe the project is permanently shelvedโฃ and are no longer bound by anyโ non-disclosure agreements.
Further reporting indicates that a separate Star โWars โ project pitched by director David Fincher, set between the Last Jedi and The Rise of โคSkywalker, never progressed beyondโ initial concepts and conversations with Lucasfilm. This differs from earlier reports โsuggesting the Fincher project stalled over creative disagreements regarding the final cut.