Dave Filoni Confirms No Development on ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’
Few unmade projects in recent memory have generated as much sustained fan devotion as ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo.’ Ever since news broke that Disney had rejected a fully developed script featuring Adam Driver, the Star Wars fandom has viewed the film’s cancellation as one of the franchise’s most frustrating what-ifs.
That frustration only grew as more details about the project’s development emerged. Steven Soderbergh, Adam Driver, and screenwriter Rebecca Blunt reportedly spent two and a half years working on the film, with Lucasfilm executives Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Cary Beck all supporting the project before it was ultimately shut down higher up the chain.
Filoni’s comments at this year’s D23 were particularly significant. Speaking directly to Variety on the red carpet, Filoni confirmed that Lucasfilm is not currently developing ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo,’ providing fans with their most direct and up-to-date answer yet regarding the long-debated project’s status.
This confirmation comes at a pivotal moment for Lucasfilm’s leadership. Filoni now serves as co-president and chief creative officer of the studio, having stepped into that role after Kathleen Kennedy’s departure earlier this year following her 14-year tenure guiding the company.
The project’s original rejection reportedly stemmed from the very top of Disney’s corporate structure. According to Driver, Lucasfilm had fully embraced the script before presenting it to then-CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman, who ultimately rejected the pitch. “We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and they said no,” Driver has previously stated. “They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”
The cancellation sparked a passionate fan response once details became public. A group of dedicated Star Wars fans even paid to fly a banner reading “Save ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo'” over Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, showcasing grassroots support for a film most of the public had never even seen footage from.
Soderbergh himself has expressed his frustration with how the project ended, describing the two and a half years of work as ultimately unpaid effort that led nowhere. He has since made it clear he has no active interest in reviving the project, even with new leadership now in place at both Disney and Lucasfilm.
When directly asked by The Playlist whether he’d be open to revisiting ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ now that Filoni and new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro are at the helm, Soderbergh gave a blunt one-word answer: “Nope.” He has since moved on to other projects, telling Variety he’s now looking for something with genuine scale and event-film potential.
Filoni’s comments at D23 effectively close the loop on that chapter, at least for the immediate future. While “not right now” technically leaves the door open for a later revival, it’s a clear signal that fans shouldn’t expect any imminent announcement bringing Driver’s Kylo Ren back to the screen.
The timing is notable given how much Star Wars content Filoni oversaw at this year’s D23, including a new ‘Ahsoka’ Season 2 trailer and the first official footage from ‘Star Wars: Starfighter.’ With much of Lucasfilm’s near-term slate already locked in, it’s clear the studio’s creative bandwidth is currently focused elsewhere.
For now, ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ remains one of the most talked-about unmade films in the franchise’s history, a project fans continue to campaign for years after its quiet cancellation.
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