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Star Wars fans convinced Adam Driver's scrapped movie is back on after X-Men casting video

Last year it was announced Adam Driver and director Steven Soderberg had developed a Star Wars sequel titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, only for Disney to scrap the idea

[Adam Driver appeared in three Star Wars films as Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo]

Adam Driver appeared in three Star Wars films as Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo(Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Star Wars fans are convinced a scrapped sequel featuring the return of Adam Driver's Ben Solo is back on the cards after the actor appeared in a video for an entirely different franchise. Last year it was revealed Driver and director Steven Soderberg had spent two years developing a new instalment in the long-running franchise, titled The Hunt for Ben Solo - only for Disney, which owns Star Wars, to scrap it.

Driver was last seen in a galaxy far, far away in 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which ended with his character, Kylo Ren, rejecting the Dark Side and reclaiming his true identity as Ben Solo, only to apparently sacrifice his life to save Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, from death. Although the film was billed as the final chapter in the nine-part story which began in 1977, Driver and Soderberg's follow-up would have revealed the true fate of the son of Han Solo and Princess Leia.

While Star Wars production company Lucasfilm was apparently behind the plans, Sodenberg said bosses at Disney "didnt see how Ben Solo was alive". But now fans are convinced the film could become a reality after all, with clues buried in a casting announcement for an entirely different franchise.

At fan event D23 at the weekend Disney revealed the cast of Marvel's long-awaited new X-Men movie, set to be released in May 2028 - including Driver as the villain, Mr Sinister. And fans are convinced a pre-recorded video in which Driver announced his casting held the clues that The Hunt for Ben Solo is secretly in production.

In the video Driver revealed he was on "a very lonely soundstage" at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire - where all three of the Star Wars films he featured in were filmed. Fans on Twitter went wild with speculation, with one writing: "Adam announcing on this set is practically performing a manifestation ritual for Ben Solo's return at Pinewood."

Another wrote: "I'm actually spiralling a little bit why the f*** is he at Pinewood. If I don't get an actual explanation I'm just gonna have to assume it's for the exact reason I want him to be there."

Another social media user said: "Disney WANTED people to clock that Adam's video was shot at Pinewood Studios. He had no reason to be there for an MCU (Marvel) movie that doesn't start shooting before next year. He's there for something else. And we know what that something else is. This was a very well planted Easter Egg."

And someone else said: "I cant figure it out either. Like why are you there sir? What are you doing? Thats a long a** way to fly for a gag. Unless this is on purpose?"

The fact that Disney owns both Star Wars and Marvel led some to speculate this was intended as cheeky bit of cross-promotion. And some have suggested Driver agreed to join the X-Men movie on the condition The Hunt for Ben Solo is made.

The fires were stoked further by another clip from D23, in which Lucasfilm president Dave Filoni responded to a question about whether the scrapped movie might be revived by insisting "we're not making that picture right now". But fans pointed out the clip showed him making a noticeable two-fingered hand gesture - suspiciously similar to the Jedi Mind Trick seen in the movies.

However, earlier this year Soderbergh, who won an Academy Award for 2001's Traffic, said he wasn't interested in trying to revive the idea. "At a certain point, it's like complaining about the weather," he said. "You just gotta keep moving. If it was gonna happen, it would have happened."

Speaking last year, Driver said he was "always interested" in returning to Star Wars. "I loved that character and loved playing him," he added.

Star Wars most recently hit cinema screens in May, with the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu. Next year will see the release of Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, and directed by Deadpool & Wolverine's Shawn Levy.

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