Star Wars Got One Thing Right With Its Canceled Ben Solo Movie

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The Star Wars community was shaken up this week by news of another movie being canceled. Following the mixed reception to The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm seemed to be struggling with what to do next. However, it appears Lucasfilm actually had plans for the future, but Disney CEO Bob Iger ultimately decided to scrap them.

Adam Driver recently shared that a potential sequel, written by director Steven Soderbergh, would have brought his character, Ben Solo, back to the story. The project, known as “Quiet Leaves” and titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, had a completed script and was moving towards the beginning of production. However, Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman reviewed it and ultimately decided against the idea of bringing Ben Solo back to life.

Disney’s Star Wars has stumbled again, evident in a passionate fan campaign that’s gained significant traction – even including a Times Square billboard and a flyover of the Disney Studios in Burbank. Remarkably, Disney has managed to unite the often-disagreeing Star Wars fanbase, though not in the manner Bob Iger likely envisioned.

Surprisingly, there’s one silver lining to this disappointing news: it means we haven’t known about The Hunt for Ben Solo for very long.

Star Wars Has Struggled To Keep Things A Secret

This is a surprisingly significant moment for Star Wars. Apparently, Lucasfilm managed to keep the project The Hunt for Ben Solo under wraps for three years, and the details are only coming out now that it’s been definitively cancelled. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has pointed out that leaks are common with Star Wars projects, and as she explained:

It’s really challenging that our creative process for Star Wars is so closely watched – I don’t think any other production company experiences that level of public attention to what’s still in development. Information often leaks before we’re ready to share it, which makes it difficult to control the narrative. We explore many ideas, knowing not all of them will become finished projects, and a lot of the criticism and negativity surrounding Star Wars has focused on these early stages of development. It’s just tricky because we naturally develop a lot of different concepts, fully aware that not everything will make it to the screen.

The planned series, The Hunt for Ben Solo, reached a very advanced stage – it had Disney’s approval – without a single detail being revealed publicly. The news only came out because Adam Driver himself spoke about it.

The level of secrecy surrounding this project is surprising, considering it was created while Bob Chapek was Disney CEO (before Iger returned in November 2022). Chapek often encouraged Lucasfilm to share information freely, as he was keen to highlight positive developments.

Lucasfilm Seem To Have Perfected Secrecy

No matter what fans think about where Star Wars is headed, Lucasfilm seems to have gotten much better at keeping secrets. The Hunt for Ben Solo proved this – it was a complete movie project that Disney approved without any leaks. Even now, details about The Mandalorian and Grogu are still largely unknown, despite the recent trailer.

Shawn Levy is cleverly sharing bits of information about Starfighter on social media. Lucasfilm has done a good job keeping details about the project secret, and so far, they’ve managed to avoid leaks.

While canceling ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ might have been another misstep for Star Wars, it does suggest Lucasfilm has learned to keep future projects under wraps. This could mean we’re in for some welcome surprises down the line.

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2025-10-28 20:21