As the twin suns of Tatooine shone down on Rey Skywalker and her spherical droid companion BB8 at the end of 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, evil had been vanquished, and a new day of the Disney+ TV series would fill the empty void in the digital galaxy to satisfy fans of the iconic series. That is, until recent interviews revealed a potential 10th episode of the saga, one that could have changed everything. This is The Hunt For Ben Solo.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
At the climax of Rise of Skywalker, the ninth and final episode of the Star Wars saga, a showdown against Palpatine and his army on Exegol takes place, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the newly reformed Ben Solo (Adam Driver), also known as Kylo Ren, working together to take him down. Ben is mortally wounded, and Rey dies after killing Palpatine by deflecting his lightning bolts with the lightsabers of Luke and Leia. Ben sacrifices himself in order to transfer his life force to revive her while the rest of the Rebels succeed in destroying Palpatine’s forces, and throughout the galaxy, people stand up to the First Order. Finally, the grand nine-movie adventure ends with Rey taking up the name of “Skywalker,” and hope is restored for a brighter future.
Do. Or do not. There is no try.
But was this truly the end of Ben Solo? In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Adam Driver revealed that he had developed a concept for a film that would take place after The Rise of Skywalker and complete his character’s redemption arc, given that he originally joined the franchise with the idea that Kylo Ren’s journey would be the opposite of that undertaken by Anakin Skywalker, also known as Darth Vader, in the earlier episodes. He took this idea to director Steven Soderbergh (known for Ocean’s Eleven, Erin Brockovich and Logan Lucky), who outlined a story with his screenwriter wife Rebecca Blunt that they pitched to the heads of Lucasfilm. It piqued the company’s interest, and it brought in screenwriter Scott Z. Burns (known for The Report and Contagion) to write a full-fledged screenplay. Driver recalled that it was “one of the coolest... scripts [he] had ever been a part of.”
From there, production costs were considered and intentionally planned to be modest, harkening back to the style of the original trilogy. Then, the script was presented to Disney for a green light, but CEO Bob Iger and Co-Chairman Alan Bergman dismissed it. According to Driver, their reasoning was that they couldn’t see how Ben Solo could still be alive. This final decision has allowed the project to be discussed publicly after being developed in secret for the last two years.
Never tell me the odds
In recent posts on Bluesky, Soderbergh said that a conversation with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed that this was the first time Disney had rejected a finished Lucasfilm screenplay for a green light. In a statement to the Associated Press, he noted that he “really enjoyed making the movie in [his] head” and he’s “just sorry the fans won’t get to see it.” The feeling seems to be mutual, as the recent news has sent the fandom spiraling.
On Oct. 23, a plane flying the banner “SAVE #THEHUNTFORBENSOLO” flew over the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Collider interviewed the fan who commissioned it, who said they hoped the banner would show Disney how loved the character is and how much fans want this story to unfold. On Oct. 25, a billboard in Times Square displayed the message “For Adam. No one's ever really gone. Hope lives. Ben is alive! #THBS” above the popular tourist attraction Carlo’s Bake Shop every twenty eight minutes throughout the day. Collider spoke to the fan who purchased the billboard, who had the same sentiments in mind. They described their intent to show Disney the will of the fans, adding that if Palpatine could return, so could Ben. They also spoke of how the existence of the script has united the fanbase, as they feel they are fighting for a story that already exists and wants to be told.
I have a bad feeling about this
Given the extent of Disney’s Star Wars catalogue since the end of the third trilogy, it’s puzzling to understand the reasoning behind its decision. From the internet fervor over Baby Yoda of The Mandalorian to prequel shows about characters ranging from Ahsoka to Boba Fett, as well as the upcoming Starfighter film, directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ryan Gosling and featuring Daisy Ridley returning as Rey, there seems to be no limit to Disney’s wallet or imagination.
Nevertheless, the recent fan outrage seems to point toward a blunder on Disney’s part. As a Star Wars fan myself, I believe this movie could have provided more depth to the character by exploring his background and how he would find himself in a new world without the First Order/Empire. It could have seen him reconcile with the other members of this third trilogy crew, atone for his deeds as a member of the Sith and perhaps even interact with other members of the dark side still holding on to what is lost. Could Disney be swayed by the fans to revive the project?
