Disney’s Troubling Pattern of Canceling Promising Star Wars Movies

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Disney has a habit of canceling the wrong Star Wars projects. It’s not just a one-time mistake – the recent decision to scrap a potential spin-off starring Adam Driver’s character, Ben Solo, is part of a troubling trend.

It’s surprising to realize the last Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker, came out in 2019. While we’ll finally get a new movie next year with The Mandalorian and Grogu, several other Star Wars films have been canceled or put on hold.

With the news of Adam Driver’s idea being turned down, it’s a good time to look back at the challenges Disney and Lucasfilm have faced with Star Wars films in the last five years.

Disney Canceled Adam Driver’s Ben Solo Project (And The Internet Is Losing It)

I was really surprised to hear that Adam Driver recently shared how he and Steven Soderbergh – the guy behind films like Ocean’s Eleven and Erin Brockovich – actually came up with an idea for a Star Wars spin-off! Apparently, they were developing a project called The Hunt for Ben Solo, and they had Scott Z. Burns, who wrote for The Bourne Ultimatum and Contagion, helping with the script. It’s fascinating to think about what could have been!

Taking place after The Rise of Skywalker, this planned film would have explored Ben Solo’s journey toward redemption in more detail, addressing aspects of his story that Adam Driver felt were incomplete in the existing sequel trilogy. The script was fully written over two years and had the complete backing of Lucasfilm leaders Kathleen Kennedy and David Filoni.

Disney leaders Bob Iger and Alan Bergman couldn’t agree on how Ben Solo could still be alive after seemingly sacrificing himself to save Rey in The Rise of Skywalker. This was strange, given the franchise had previously brought characters like Palpatine, Boba Fett, and Darth Maul back from the dead.

Despite already receiving three million dollars in funding and showing promising progress, the project was cancelled. Since then, the internet has grown dramatically.

As a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve been seeing a lot of reaction online since Adam Driver mentioned The Hunt for Ben Solo and how it never saw the light of day. Honestly, it’s no surprise – people are really bummed that we won’t get a dedicated story exploring what happened with Kylo Ren, especially since he was arguably the most interesting character in the sequels. Everyone’s just venting their frustration, and it’s easy to see why!

It’s unusual, but fans of Star Wars have largely united in asking Disney to reconsider their decision, with some even going so far as to fly planes with banners saying “Save #TheHuntForBenSolo” over the Disney Studios.

If fans continue to show strong support, there’s a chance this project could gain traction like ‘Deadpool,’ ‘Ugly Sonic,’ the ‘Snyder Cut,’ or ‘Coyote vs ACME.’ However, the more important issue is that this is another promising Star Wars movie idea that has been scrapped.

There’s Been Several Canceled/Paused Star Wars Projects Since Rise of Skywalker

Since 2019, Lucasfilm has faced challenges in completing any Star Wars movies. While many projects have been announced, they’ve often been canceled, delayed, or put on hold before release.

The most notable unseen Star Wars projects include:

Originally planned as an action film in the style of Top Gun, but centered around X-Wing pilots, Rogue Squadron faced several setbacks. After being announced in 2020, Disney removed it from its release schedule by 2023. Despite this, director Patty Jenkins shared in 2024 that she continues to develop the script for Lucasfilm.

The planned Star Wars film, which was to be directed by Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Entertainment, was cancelled in early 2023. Although there was initial enthusiasm for the project, it was ultimately put on hold.

I’m still really hoping to see Taika Waititi direct a Star Wars movie! It’s officially still listed as ‘in development,’ but honestly, the latest news suggests things aren’t moving forward very quickly. It’s a bit frustrating as a fan, but I’m trying to stay optimistic!

Rian Johnson was slated to create a new Star Wars trilogy after directing The Last Jedi, but the project has been on hold since 2017. With eight years passing, Lucasfilm and Disney’s focus has changed, and it’s unclear if the trilogy will ever move forward.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is directing a new Star Wars film featuring Daisy Ridley as Rey, based on a revised idea for a ‘New Jedi Order’ story. The original concept, developed by Damon Lindelof, was ultimately scrapped, and he is no longer involved with the project.

The planned Donald Glover-led Lando Calrissian project is changing. Originally intended as a Disney+ series announced in 2020, it’s now being developed as a Star Wars movie. However, filming hasn’t started, so the future of the film remains unclear.

Lucasfilm and Disney are now actively producing new Star Wars projects with release dates in the next few years. These include The Mandalorian and Grogu coming in 2026, and Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy, planned for 2027. Starfighter will be set five years after the events of the more recent Star Wars trilogy and will star Ryan Gosling.

What Is Going On With Disney’s Star Wars Decisions?

Many of the Star Wars projects that were canceled or put on hold actually seem more inventive than The Mandalorian and its spin-offs. Although the upcoming 2026 movie looks promising, it’s clear Disney is relying on The Mandalorian & Grogu to bring Star Wars back to the big screen because it’s the safest and most predictable choice.

Ultimately, the movie functions as a continuation of the popular live-action series from Lucasfilm, effectively serving as a fourth season and focusing on two fan-favorite characters.

After the initial films, it feels like Disney and Lucasfilm have prioritized playing it safe, and haven’t been as willing to try bold, new ideas. While some projects didn’t happen for reasons beyond their control, most were canceled by the companies themselves.

The upcoming 2027 film, Starfighter, feels like a potentially significant new direction for Star Wars, but there’s worry that Disney might stick to familiar ground if it doesn’t perform well at the box office.

Whether The Hunt for Ben Solo will actually happen remains to be seen, depending on how much interest continues. For now, though, it looks like Disney is once again choosing not to pursue a potentially great idea for a new Star Wars film.

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2025-10-26 00:25