Today comes the shocking news via Associated Press (AP) that beginning in 2021, Adam Driver spent two years trying to get a post-TROS Ben Solo movie off the ground. Titled "The Hunt For Ben Solo," the project would've reunited Adam with Scott Z. Burns (The Report) writing the screenplay and with Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky) directing. Dave Filoni loved it. Kathleen Kennedy loved it. Adam said it was the bleeping best script he's ever been a part of. He compared it to TESB.
Bob Iger and Walt Disney Pictures president Alan Bergman shot it down.
Because Ben Solo was dead. You know, in a galaxy where Darth Maul was sawed in half and managed to come back. Where Boba Fett survived the Sarlaac pit. Where Palpatine was resurrected in the very last film with little to no explanation.
Based on what I've seen on X, Reylos, rats, film twitter, and fanboys are united in their utter shock, anger, and disgust. You have one of the most talented, in-demand, respected actors around who WANTS to come back to Star Wars (and didn't wait 15-20 years to want to come back either), who LOVES his character, and was probably the most popular character to come out of the ST. You have an Oscar-winning director who WANTED to make a SW film and directed Adam in one of his most memorable performances. You have an Oscar-nominated screenwriter waiting in the wings. And they were going to get it done with a smaller budget. IT WAS A NO-BRAINER AND THEY STILL TURNED IT DOWN.
This film may or may not have reunited Ben with Rey but I believe it would've healed a lot of the bad vibes after TROS. It would've made people feel a lot better about the ST. And I think Adam believed so too.
This isn't just corporate stupidity, it's malfeasance. If enough fans owned Disney stock, we should file a shareholder's suit! Bob Iger is clearly allergic to money. Picture this:
JARED LETO: Hey, I know my last franchise movie flopped but how about if I star in a third Tron movie? Sure the last one was like 13 years ago and Tron never had more than a nerdy guy cult following, and there are all these allegations against me, but I think it'll be awesome.
BOB IGER: Sure, I'll even give it a $200 million budget!
ADAM DRIVER: I've got Steven Soderbergh and Scott Z. Burns to make a Star Wars film with Ben Solo post-TROS. We can get it done super cheap. The fans will love it!
While I think it's long been past Kathleen Kennedy's expiration date, I've maintained for years that the problems with Star Wars extend well beyond her leadership. This whole fiasco just proves that point. The Mandalorian & Grogu and Starfighter might turn out okay but right now the ship is run by fools. And I think the fundamental problem is that Disney's suits do not love Star Wars.
The good news is Iger is out the door next year (I hope for good this time) and new leadership might give "The Hunt For Ben Solo" another look. Maybe that's why Adam dropped the bomb now while he's supposed to be promoting his new flick Father Mother Sister Brother.
Time to turn up the noise...Bring Ben Solo Back!
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