In a recent interview, Adam Driver expressed his belief that the opportunity to reprise his role as Kylo Ren in the Star Wars franchise has passed. The actor, who gained fame for his portrayal of the villain in the beloved sci-fi saga, confirmed that a proposed spinoff film titled The Hunt for Ben Solo was ultimately rejected by Disney.
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Driver, now 42, made these remarks during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, where he was promoting his upcoming crime drama, Paper Tiger, set to hit theatres on November 13. This statement follows Driver’s previous announcement from October 2025 regarding the spinoff project, which he co-wrote with acclaimed filmmaker Steven Soderbergh and screenwriters Rebecca Blunt and Scott Z. Burns.
When asked whether he envisioned returning to the galaxy far, far away, Driver bluntly stated, “Yeah. Yeah. It’s over.” He clarified that attempts to create a new narrative surrounding Kylo Ren were halted due to the character’s fate in the series, saying, “No more Star Wars. We tried, we tried to do one more, but they were like ‘No, he’s dead.’”
Driver’s portrayal of Kylo Ren, the son of iconic characters Han Solo and Leia Organa, began with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released in 2015. The character’s journey concluded in the final instalment of the sequel trilogy, which put an end to any speculation about his return in future iterations. Despite this, the actor had invested a considerable amount of time and effort into developing a new storyline.
He emphasised the quality of the script generated during their two years of work, describing it as “really good” and “awesome.” However, despite positive initial interest from Lucasfilm, the studio that helms the Star Wars franchise, executives at Disney, including Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, ultimately decided against the venture.
When questioned if he would still be open to the idea of making The Hunt for Ben Solo should Disney reconsider, Driver replied, “If they wanted to, fine. But it’s not our call. I think the ship has sailed, though.”
The actor also acknowledged the significant fan support that followed the announcement of the spinoff. He noted campaigns by devoted Star Wars enthusiasts, which included billboards and aerial displays over Disney locations, urging the studio to revisit his project. “I didn’t expect that it was going to be billboards and people flying planes over Disney and things like that. That was pretty cool,” he remarked.
In shaping the tone of The Hunt for Ben Solo, Driver and Soderbergh aimed to create a film that was budget-conscious yet still captured the essence of the Star Wars ethos. Driver reiterated their desire to focus on character-driven storytelling, taking inspiration from classic films within the franchise. He noted that they planned to execute the production “for cheap” while still upholding the standards of previous films, with The Empire Strikes Back being his benchmark for excellence in the series.
As driver moves forward in his career, he continues to explore diverse roles beyond his Star Wars legacy. Currently, he is promoting Paper Tiger, a crime drama set against the backdrop of 1980s New York City, in which he stars alongside Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller. Additionally, Driver was recently seen in Chris Rock’s film Misty Green and has been confirmed to play a villain in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot. His future projects include a sequel to the 1995 action classic, Heat, further demonstrating his versatility and ambition as an actor.
As the Star Wars saga remains a defining chapter in Driver’s career, he appears ready to embrace new opportunities, albeit with a sensible acknowledgment of the beloved character Ben Solo’s demise. Though fans may lament the loss of a potential new adventure for Kylo Ren, Driver’s focus is clearly on the next chapter, both in terms of new roles and projects that lie ahead.
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