Lucasfilm Co-Boss Dave Filoni says the “Force is not with us” on any “Hunt for Ben Solo” film as Star Wars box-office questions linger

Lucasfilm co-boss Dave Filoni told attendees at Disney’s D23 event that a feature film built around Adam Driver’s Ben Solo is not a project the studio is currently indicating to move forward, characterizing the odds as bleak by saying, “The Force is not with us…”. The remark came during discussion of Kylo Ren’s arc and the franchise’s next directions, as fans continue to ask whether a hypothetical “Hunt for Ben Solo” movie could return to Disney and Lucasfilm’s planning.

The question has resurfaced amid public discussion of Star Wars performance trends. Deadline reported that the franchise’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” finished with $345 million worldwide, described in the report as the lowest grossing live-action Star Wars feature in the franchise’s history. That financial backdrop has fueled fan speculation about whether Lucasfilm might revisit plans associated with the Skywalker-era characters, including material tied to Driver’s Kylo Ren and Ben Solo.

Filoni’s comments at D23 also leaned into an internal creative through-line he said remains central to Star Wars storytelling. Deadline said he referenced “the theme of hope” that has appeared across the franchise, a framing that positions future projects around emotional stakes rather than solely around continuity. In the same conversation, Deadline noted that interest in a possible “Hunt for Ben Solo” film has persisted even as box-office results have raised questions about what audiences will prioritize.

At issue is not only whether a Ben Solo-centered story is desirable, but whether it fits the studio’s broader risk calculus after the latest live-action outing. Deadline’s report tied renewed fan interest to the fact that “The Mandalorian and Grogu” landed at the low end of Star Wars live-action theatrical returns, a factor that often shapes which high-cost concepts get serious development attention within major studios.

Deadline’s coverage further described the “Hunt for Ben Solo” idea as something fans keep circling back to, specifically asking whether Lucasfilm and Disney would re-consider the concept given earlier momentum behind the character and Driver’s involvement. Filoni’s D23 response did not offer a new timeline or production update. Instead, it functioned as a direct discouragement of the notion that such a film is actively in play.

The comments come as Lucasfilm works to manage audience expectations following the expansion of Star Wars content across streaming and film. While Disney has used D23 as a platform to highlight upcoming entertainment initiatives, Filoni’s statement did not accompany any announcement that a Ben Solo-focused movie is returning to development, and no studio decision was described in Deadline’s report beyond his characterization that the odds were unfavorable.

For viewers, the practical takeaway is that D23 did not produce a pivot toward an Adam Driver-led “Hunt for Ben Solo” feature, despite the franchise’s renewed theatrical spotlight. The next question for fans and industry observers will likely be what Lucasfilm chooses to greenlight or prioritize after “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” and how the studio balances franchise hope-driven themes with the financial realities of theatrical performance.