A Star Wars film by Steven Soderbergh about Kylo Ren almost saw the light of day

“I have always been up for remaking Star Wars, provided there is a real vision and a great director…”

Adam Driver almost returned to the galaxy far, far away — and not for just any project.

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, the actor revealed that he spent nearly two years developing a film with Steven Soderbergh Star Wars centered on Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren, titled The Hunt for Ben Solo.

The feature film, co-written by Rebecca Blunt (Logan Lucky) then Scott Z. Burns, was to take place after The Rise of Skywalker and follow Driver’s character on a quest for redemption. Driver explains:

“I have always been up for remaking Star Wars, as long as there is a real vision and a great director. JI loved this character, I loved playing him.”

The project, which Adam Driver describes as “handmade and character-centered”was inspired according to him by the tone of The Empire Strikes Back : “It’s the gold standard of what Star Wars should be.”

Soderbergh and Driver, who collaborated together on Logan Lucky (2017), presented The Hunt for Ben Solo to Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni and Carrie Beck at Lucasfilm — who, according to the actor, “loved the idea and understood our approach”. But everything stopped once the script was submitted to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman at Disney.

“They didn’t understand how Ben Solo could still be alive. And that was the end of it.”

In any case, the experience was positive. Driver, keeps a bitter but admiring memory: “It was one of the coolest storylines I’ve ever been a part of.” And Steven Soderbergh confided to the Associated Press:

“I loved making this movie in my head. I’m just sorry the fans will never get to see it.”