Dave Filoni recently addressed the possibility of reviving a proposed Star Wars movie starring Adam Driver during the D23 event. While Filoni offered no concrete updates, the project remains a point of intense fan speculation.
The Soderbergh and Scott Z. Burns pitch
The project in question originated from a pitch by Adam Driver in 2025, according to the report. Driver sought to bring a fresh perspective to the Star Wars universe by collaborating with director Steven Soderbergh, with whom he had previously worked on the 2017 NASCAR-themed comedy. The screenplay was handled by writer Scott Z. Burns, resulting in a script that Adam Driver described as one of the coolest he had ever been a part of.
This creative pairing of Soderbergh and Burns suggested a departure from the traditional Star Wars aesthetic, aiming for a more grounded or experimental approach to the narrative. The report notes that the script was highly regarded by several key figures, including Rian Johnson and Daisy Ridley, who both expressed enthusiasm for the direction of the story.
Bob Iger and Alan Bergman's initial rejection
Despite the creative momentum, the project hit a corporate wall at the highest levels of Disney. While former Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy reportedly called the script "great," the project was ultimately rejected by Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman. The report indicates that the leadership at Disney was unconvinced by the narrative path, specifically regarding the challenge of continuing the story of Leia's son after his established fate in the series.
This tension between the creative vision of Lucasfilm and the executive mandates of Disney highlights a recurring struggle within the franchise . the rejection by Bob Iger and Alan Bergman suggests that the corporate side of the house was wary of the storytelling risks associated with the project,even if the filmmakers involved were confident in the material.
Dave Filoni's coy response at D23
The recent D23 event provided a glimmer of hope for fans, as Adam Driver is returning to Disney for a significant role in another franchise. When asked about the potential revival of the Ben Solo project, Dave Filoni responded with a "Jedi hand wave" and a coy smile. As reported, Filoni stated that the project was not part of the D23 announcements and that there was nothing new to share at that time.
Crucially, Dave Filoni did not explicitly state that the project was dead. By stopping short of a definitive "no," Filoni has left the door open for future developments, maintaining a level of ambiguity that is characteristic of Lucasfilm's current communication strategy regarding its slate of upcoming films.
The precedent of Darth Maul and Boba Fett
The hesitation from Disney executives regarding the death of a character seems inconsistent with the broader history of the Star Wars franchise. As the report points out, Lucasfilm has a long track record of reviving deceased or presumed-dead charracters to drive new narratives. Examples include the returns of Darth Maul and Boba Fett, as well as the return of Emperor Palpatine, which occurred with very little narrative explanation.
This pattern suggests that within the Star Wars universe, death is rarely a permanent storytelling barrier. For fans and creators, the precedent set by characters like Boba Fett makes the rejection of the Adam Driver project seem less like a narrative necessity and more like a strategic or creative disagreement between the studio and the writers.
Whether Disney's new leadership will override the original veto
Several critical questions remain unanswered regarding the future of this project . Most notably, it is unclear if the current leadership at Lucasfilm has the authority or the desire to override the original veto placed on the project by Bob Iger and Alan Bergman.. Furthermore, the report does not specify if a new script is being developed or if the original Scott Z. Burns screenplay is still the version under consideration.
There is also the question of Adam Driver's own availability and interest.. While the report mentions his ongoing discussions about returning to the franchise , it remains to be seen if the actor's new commitments to other Disney franchises will create a scheduling conflict or provide him with more leverage to push the Ben Solo project forward.
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