In the biggest Star Wars development this week, an entire Star Wars feature film has been cancelled after years of development — igniting explosive backlash from creators and fans alike.
Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh publicly revealed his frustration over Disney’s abrupt cancellation of a planned Star Wars movie centered on Kylo Ren/Ben Solo, which had been in development for nearly two and a half years with franchise star Adam Driver attached to return. According to Soderbergh, the project — internally titled The Hunt for Ben Solo — had completed scripts and creative backing from Lucasfilm leadership, but Disney executives ultimately decided to pull the plug without even discussing budget or production details. The director described the decision as “insane,” and shared that both he and Driver had poured passion and time into the project only for it to be shelved unexpectedly.
This cancellation has sent shockwaves through social media and Star Wars fan communities. Rumors and fan campaigns are already circulating online demanding Disney reverse course and revive the project, with passionate fans arguing that a character-driven Ben Solo story could have added depth and emotional closure to one of the franchise’s most beloved and controversial heroes.
The controversy isn’t happening in isolation. Earlier reporting showed ongoing fan debates about major casting decisions and creative direction across multiple Star Wars productions — including recasting Luke Skywalker in a recent series and heated community discussions around future franchise direction.
At the same time, Lucasfilm is preparing a slate of upcoming projects that could reshape the cinematic universe, including animated series like Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord slated for release in April 2026 and big-screen entries like The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
Fans and industry insiders alike see this cancellation as potentially the most dramatic out-of-universe Star Wars moment in years — a moment with major implications for how future stories are greenlit and how creative voices are heard in one of the world’s biggest entertainment franchises.