It was recently revealed that Star Wars sequel trilogy star Adam Driver and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh had been quietly developing The Hunt for Ben Solo. The movie, written by Scott Z. Burns, received a stamp of approval from Lucasfilm but was ultimately scrapped by Disney's Bob Iger and Alan Bergman.
The Hunt for Ben Solo came so close to being made that it was reportedly ready to shoot when Lucasfilm took it to Disney to get a green light. However, for the first time in the Star Wars studio's history, the House of Mouse turned down a project that was ready to begin production.
Driver and Soderbergh are no longer under NDAs, hence breaking their silence on the project last week. However, while they're reportedly not looking to force Disney's hand, fans are. The backlash to the decision to shelve the movie has been vocal on social media and is showing no sign of ending.
Over the weekend, fan B.D. Neagle managed to get a billboard for The Hunt for Ben Solo displayed in Times Square. It featured phrases like "No one's ever really gone" and "Hope lives. Ben is alive!"
Another fan, Brianna Johns, has even started putting up "Missing" posters for Ben Solo/Kylo Ren around Disney Studios headquarters. Collider spoke with Johns, who explained why she's among those hoping to change Disney's mind.
"Why the missing poster? Because Ben Solo disappeared. Where did he go? Fans want answers (and I’m sure Rey does too.) Star Wars exists on the level it does in the cultural zeitgeist because of its fans. When the news of The Hunt For Ben Solo broke, the outcry was outrageous."
"In a fandom that’s usually heavily divided, it was both astonishing and refreshing to see everyone coming together. What’s more is it gave me hope. Two years of development from Adam [Driver] and Steven [Soderbergh] just for this project be shelved feels like a disservice to us all."
The Hunt for Ben Solo was set to reveal that Kylo Ren had somehow survived his run-in with Emperor Palpatine. For some reason, Iger and Bergman couldn't get their heads around the notion of resurrection in the Star Wars franchise.
Will this fan campaign be successful? Well, fans have spent the past seven years campaigning to #MakeSolo2Happen, and a sequel to Solo: A Star Wars Story is no closer to becoming a reality. Disney giving this movie the green light now would be a smart marketing decision, but at the same time, it's hard to imagine the studio bowing to pressure from fans or filmmakers.
Time will tell, but it's become clear that fans want to see The Hunt for Ben Solo more than many of the other Star Wars movies that are currently in various stages of development.
Stay tuned to SFFGazette.com for the latest updates on The Hunt for Ben Solo as we have them.