One of the most prominent campaigners for Lucasfilm's scrapped The Hunt for Ben Solo movie has revealed why they joined the ongoing movement to resurrect Adam Driver's beloved Star Wars character. In October this year, Driver dropped a bombshell that united and ignited the eternally divided Star Wars fandom.
As revealed by Driver, in 2021, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Co-Chair of Disney Entertainment Alan Bergman rejected the development of a movie that would focus on Kylo Ren's continued redemption arc after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh and Driver were both personally involved in the project, which had the approval of Lucasfilm's President, Vice President, and Chief Creative Officer.
Fans from both sides of the aisle lamented Kylo Ren/Ben Solo's sacrificial death at the end of The Rise of Skywalker. "That felt like such a betrayal," B.D. Neagle, a US schoolteacher, told Empire for the magazine's February 2026 issue. Following other viral PR stunts calling for Disney to reconsider The Hunt for Ben Solo after Driver's story broke, Neagle was inspired to join the real-world fan campaign.
Neagle hired a billboard in New York's Times Square, as she "knew [she] had to do something," she told the magazine. "I wanted to make a big deal about it — to show how much the fans want this movie. Then I thought: 'I wonder how much a billboard costs…'"
The billboard read, "For Adam, 'No One's Ever Really Gone,' Hope Lives, Ben Is Alive! #THBS," aptly using one of Luke Skywalker's most memorable quotes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. "It didn't cost much, actually. I saw the plane [stunt] and thought: 'That's the right idea. We need to make noise about this.'"
Neagle feels strongly about Ben Solo's potential as a character and his connection with Star Wars' audience. "[Driver] is such a great actor, and people loved that character. Although he was a villain, he felt human; relatable. After his redemption, we never got to see who Ben Solo really was — and [The Hunt for Ben Solo] would have probably explored that. It's devastating."
Although the Star Wars sequel trilogy proved to be arguably even more divisive than George Lucas' heavily criticized prequel trilogy, Neagle believes that The Hunt for Ben Solo has the power to unite the Star Wars sequel era's biggest fans and its most ardent critics.
"We're usually at each other's throats. There's not much we all agree on. But I've seen people who hated The Last Jedi [campaigning] for The Hunt for Ben Solo. We all agree on this one — which is why I can't believe [Disney] said no," Neagle told Empire.
As proven by the Rey-centric, tentatively titled Star Wars: New Jedi Order movie, Lucasfilm and Disney aren't ready to give up on the Star Wars sequel trilogy's stories and characters. New Jedi Order, as well as Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling's mysterious Star Wars: Starfighter, will both take place in the aftermath of The Rise of Skywalker, exploring a never-before-seen era of the Star Wars timeline.
The Hunt for Ben Solo would fit neatly within this bold new storytelling direction. Ben's character hasn't been explored in-depth before — even though Charles Soule and Will Sliney's comic series The Rise of Kylo Ren included flashbacks to Ben's time as a student under Luke's tutelage, he was already being influenced by Snoke (and Palpatine). Who might the character be without the looming pressure of the dark side?
"I hope we're making some difference," Neagle said, as she talked about Driver possibly "pulling a Deadpool," referring to Ryan Reynolds' successful fan-backed campaign to get the first Deadpool movie greenlit by Fox. "Now [the fans] know this project exists, we're not going to shut up. There may be more planes, more billboards," she said, and added teasingly, "I know someone at NASA, too."
In the meantime, Star Wars fans can look forward to the franchise's confirmed return to theaters. The Mandalorian and Grogu will make their jump to the big screen on May 22, 2026, and Star Wars: Starfighter is slated for release on May 28, 2027.
