For a film that surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker (2019) has had a complicated legacy. Rather than closing the sequel trilogy with clarity, the film left behind unresolved storylines that Lucasfilm has spent years attempting to expand upon through additional media.
The turbulence surrounding the trilogy can be traced back to Star Wars: Episode VIII—The Last Jedi (2017), directed by Rian Johnson. Its bold narrative choices sparked intense conversation among fans, a reaction that carried into the trilogy’s final installment. Calls to abandon the sequel-era storyline altogether surfaced during this period, reflecting a divided audience.
Lucasfilm ultimately chose a different route, bringing J. J. Abrams back to direct The Rise of Skywalker after his earlier work on The Force Awakens (2015), in an effort to bring cohesion to the overarching narrative.
At the center of the trilogy was Daisy Ridley’s Rey, joined by John Boyega’s Finn, Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron, and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren. Of these characters, Kylo Ren stood out for his internal conflict—a character caught between the pull of the dark side and his past as Ben Solo.
His conclusion, however, proved contentious. After confronting the Knights of Ren and forming a Force connection with Rey, Kylo Ren ultimately returned to the light, sacrificing himself in her arms. While the redemption arc echoed classic Star Wars themes, it also left many viewers wanting more.
Lucasfilm has since worked to expand on these storylines. The return of Emperor Palpatine, played by Ian McDiarmid, has been further examined through supplementary content, including a comic adaptation that adjusted elements of the film’s ending.
Other additions include a storyline centered on Kylo Ren between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, as well as the Rey-focused “Jaws of Jakku,” which explores events unfolding during the same timeframe.
At one stage, the studio considered extending Ben Solo’s journey beyond The Rise of Skywalker. “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’s interest led him to collaborate with director Steven Soderbergh, who developed a pitch alongside Rebecca Blunt.
“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.”
Driver praised the script, calling it “one of the [coolest] scripts” he had encountered. Yet despite early enthusiasm, the project hit a major roadblock.
“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.”
The proposed film, reportedly titled The Hunt for Ben Solo, would have tackled the question of the character’s fate after his apparent death. That central issue—combined with the mixed reception to the sequel trilogy—likely contributed to the decision not to proceed.
Any lingering hopes for the project have now been put to rest. Speaking to The Playlist, Soderbergh was asked whether he might revisit the idea under Lucasfilm’s current leadership. His answer was brief: “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.”
Reflecting on the experience, Soderbergh emphasized the value of the creative process.
“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.”
Looking ahead, Lucasfilm appears to be prioritizing new directions. Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter (2027) is set to become the next theatrical project set beyond the sequel timeline.
Meanwhile, the franchise has leaned heavily into the New Republic era through Disney+ series often grouped together as the Mando-Verse. That storyline is expected to make the leap to theaters with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026).
As it stands, none of the currently announced projects focus on the sequel trilogy’s main characters. Kathleen Kennedy previously outlined plans for a Rey-centered film set during a “New Jedi Order” period, but development has slowed, with Starfighter moving forward more quickly.
With fewer live-action shows in development and a renewed emphasis on theatrical releases, Star Wars is entering a new phase. Whether the sequel era will be revisited remains to be seen, as Lucasfilm continues to shape the future of the franchise.
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