Kylo Ren Returns? How ‘Star Wars’ Just Paved the Way for a Ben Solo Spin-Off Movie

The proposed Star Wars film The Hunt for Ben Solo is back in discussion again. The information comes from reports and comments originally shared by actor Adam Driver, along with industry coverage of Lucasfilm and Disney’s plans.

The idea for the movie was first revealed in October 2025 when Adam Driver said he had worked with director Steven Soderbergh on a pitch for a new Star Wars story. The film would take place after The Rise of Skywalker and focus on Ben Solo, also known as Kylo Ren. In this version of the story, Ben Solo would still be alive, and Rey would search for him as part of a continuing redemption arc.

According to Driver, the project was developed over several years but was eventually turned down by Disney. He said that Lucasfilm leaders Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni supported the idea, but the final decision came from Disney executives. That rejection led many fans to push for the film online, including petitions and social media campaigns that gathered thousands of supporters.

At the time, Disney did not respond publicly to the fan reaction, and the project was widely considered canceled.

However, recent discussion in the film industry has brought the idea back into focus. Reports suggest that the concept behind The Hunt for Ben Solo may still have some future potential inside the Star Wars franchise, even if the original version is not moving forward.

Part of the debate around the project is connected to the current direction of Star Wars in theaters. Disney has recently focused on expanding the franchise through different types of stories, including projects like The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter. These films were meant to help build a new direction for the franchise after The Rise of Skywalker.

But The Mandalorian and Grogu has reportedly not performed as strongly as expected at the box office. According to industry reporting, its opening weekend was lower than previous Star Wars films, and its second-week drop was also significant. These results have raised questions about the best direction for future Star Wars movies.

One industry view, shared in commentary pieces, argues that Star Wars may need to return to more connected, central stories instead of smaller spin-offs. The idea is that audiences respond better when the films feel like major events tied to the main saga.

This is where The Hunt for Ben Solo comes back into the conversation. Some reports suggest that if Lucasfilm moves forward with a new sequel-era direction, possibly including a new trilogy from writer Simon Kinberg, then ideas from the canceled Ben Solo project could still be reused.

That potential trilogy is expected to continue Rey’s story after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. In that setup, Ben Solo could return as part of Rey’s journey to rebuild the Jedi Order. Some industry speculation suggests the first film of such a trilogy could even adapt parts of the original Hunt for Ben Solo concept, especially the idea of Rey searching for Ben and bringing him back into the larger story.

The original pitch focused on continuing the emotional connection between Rey and Ben Solo while expanding the post–Skywalker Saga universe. While Disney rejected the standalone version of the film, the core idea has not completely disappeared from fan discussion or industry speculation.

For now, there is no official confirmation that The Hunt for Ben Solo will be made. The only confirmed information comes from Adam Driver’s past comments and ongoing reporting about Lucasfilm’s future plans. Still, the conversation around it shows that interest in the story has not gone away.

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