Despite crossing the $1 billion mark worldwide, Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker (2019) remains one of the franchise’s most debated entries. Rather than delivering a universally embraced conclusion, the film left many viewers with lingering questions—issues Lucasfilm has since attempted to address through tie-in novels, comics, and Disney+ series.
The challenges facing the sequel trilogy didn’t begin with its finale. Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII—The Last Jedi (2017) ignited strong reactions upon release, dividing audiences and setting the stage for a complicated final chapter. Some fans went as far as suggesting Lucasfilm abandon the sequel-era storyline altogether.
Instead, the studio brought back J. J. Abrams—who previously launched the trilogy with Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens (2015)—to close out the saga, hoping to reconcile contrasting fan expectations.
Fronted by Daisy Ridley’s Rey, the trilogy introduced a new core cast that included John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. Among them, Kylo Ren emerged as one of the most compelling figures, navigating a complicated path tied to legacy, power, and identity.
Still, his ultimate arc proved divisive. After encounters with the Knights of Ren and a unique Force bond with Rey, Kylo Ren returned to his former self, Ben Solo, sacrificing his life in the process. While some embraced the redemption, others felt his story was cut short.
In response, Lucasfilm has continued to revisit the sequel era through expanded storytelling. Key developments—such as Emperor Palpatine’s return, portrayed by Ian McDiarmid—have been further explored, and even altered, in supplemental material, including a recent comic adaptation that reworked elements of The Rise of Skywalker’s ending.
Several characters have since received deeper exploration. A Kylo Ren-focused storyline fills the gap between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, while the Rey-centered “Jaws of Jakku” expands on parallel events during that same period.
At one point, Lucasfilm nearly extended Ben Solo’s story on the big screen.
“I was always interested in doing another Star Wars,” Adam Driver told Associated Press. “I had been talking about doing another one since 2021. Kathleen (Kennedy) had reached out. I always said: With a great director and a great story, I’d be there in a second. I loved that character and loved playing him.”
Driver revealed that he took his idea for a continuation to director Steven Soderbergh, who collaborated with Rebecca Blunt to shape a pitch.
“Soderbergh and Rebecca Blunt outlined a story that the group then pitched to Kennedy, Lucasfilm vice president Cary Beck, and Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni,” the outlet wrote. “They were interested, so the filmmakers then pulled in Scott Z. Burns to write a script.”
The resulting screenplay left a strong impression on Driver, who described it as “one of the [coolest] scripts” he had encountered. However, the project ultimately stalled at the highest level.
“We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it,” Driver said. “We took it to Bob Iger ([Disney CEO]) and Alan Bergman ([co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment]), and they said no. They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”
Titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, the proposed film would have explored the character’s fate following his apparent death. Questions surrounding his survival proved to be a major obstacle, and broader concerns about revisiting the sequel timeline may have also contributed to its rejection.
Now, Soderbergh has confirmed that the project is definitively off the table. When asked by The Playlist whether he would revisit the idea under Lucasfilm’s current leadership, he offered a blunt response: “nope.”
“Well, I don’t want to say [it had no influence], because then it makes it seem like, you know, ‘I watched Andor, and it had absolutely no impact on me,’ which is not true, it was great,” he explained. “But this was [all] before Andor aired. Adam and I started talking, and this would have been almost three years ago now.”
He added that the creative process itself remained worthwhile.
“It was strictly Adam saying, ‘I think there’s still somewhere to go with this character.’ That’s how it started. Otherwise, I never in a million years would have found myself in that universe again,” he admitted. “I don’t regret one minute of the time we spent working on that,” he said. “I felt the work was good. It’s just good for you to be in that room and working on it. It’s like CrossFit—it’s good for you. It’ll have a residual effect that will be unexpected at some point.”
While that chapter has closed, Lucasfilm’s attention has shifted elsewhere. Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter (2027) is currently on track to become the franchise’s next theatrical entry set beyond the sequel timeline.
In the meantime, the studio has focused heavily on the New Republic era—the period between the original and sequel trilogies—through interconnected Disney+ series collectively referred to as the Mando-Verse. That storyline will soon reach theaters with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026).
As of now, none of Lucasfilm’s active projects center on sequel trilogy leads. Back in 2023, Kathleen Kennedy announced plans for multiple films, including one following Rey Skywalker in a “New Jedi Order” era. However, development appears to have slowed, with Starfighter taking priority.
With fewer live-action series on the horizon and a growing emphasis on standalone films, Star Wars appears to be entering another period of recalibration. Whether the franchise will revisit the sequel era—or leave it behind—remains uncertain.
How do you feel about the Kylo Ren movie never happening? Let us know in the comments down below!
