The news that Disney nixed a Ben Solo Star Wars movie is still being unwrapped by fans, and The Playlist has now rubbed more salt in the wounds of one of the biggest what-might-have-beens in recent Star Wars history. Expanding on previous reports that a script had been written for The Hunt for Ben Solo, with Steven Soderbergh directing, and Disney rejected it, the truth of the matter seems to be that not only was there a complete script, but the project was already putting together crew and was all set to get production underway when Disney shut it down.
The Playlist reports that the script for The Hunt for Ben Solo was “not a loose concept or early pitch.” Instead, the script had been greenlit by Lucasfilm, and had Kathleen Kennedy, Carrie Beck, and Dave Filoni invested in it. Reportedly, all three were incredibly enthusiastic about the movie. The report goes on to say:
“Kennedy and the Star Wars Story Group waited until the project was “ready to shoot” before they presented it to Disney. When the final script, budget, and proposed start date were delivered to Disney, it marked the first time Lucasfilm had ever presented a fully approved project that did not move forward.”
The sticking point of the project remains with Bob Iger and Alan Bergman. Bergman is said to have taken “an unusually long time” reading the script, and as previously reported, they just didn’t get the story, despite several sources adding that Lucasfilm’s leadership believed the logic of the story was “clear and sound” when put alongside the continuity of The Rise of Skywalker.
The report then claims that sources believed that the decision around The Hunt for Ben Solo was partially driven by Bob Iger attempting to prepare Bergman to become his replacement at Disney. However, the decision around the movie, and several others, were met with internal criticism, with Bergman’s chances of claiming the top job when Iger steps back again taking a dive as a result.
Should ‘The Hunt for Ben Solo’ Have Been Made?
If there is one thing that Hollywood has its fair share of, it is projects that got away. Even this year, Sony Pictures’ decision to not distribute KPop Demon Hunters as a theatrical release but package it off to Netflix instead, has reminded everyone that no one gets it right every time.
The biggest question about The Hunt for Ben Solo is why Disney’s top brass were so against the movie because they “didn’t get it” when the likes of Kennedy and Filoni, who arguably were in a better position to question canon continuity, were more than happy with the script and plot of the proposed movie.
The controversies surrounding The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker will no doubt lead some fans to question whether Kennedy and Filoni are actually any more qualified to make decisions about what will make a good and well-received Star Wars movie than Iger or Bergman. In the end, there are many movies now set to join the Star Wars franchise in the coming years, but despite a complete script sitting out there somewhere, a new Ben Solo movie seems unlikely to ever see the light of day.
- Release Date
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December 18, 2019
- Runtime
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142 minutes
- Producers
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Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, J.J. Abrams