Adam Driver Confirms He’s “Done” With ‘Star Wars’ After Disney Sequel Trilogy

It sounds like Adam Driver is hanging up his crossguard lightsaber for good, dashing hopes that the First Order’s former Supreme Leader could, in some capacity, return to Star Wars down the line.

Related: Adam Driver Secretly Showed Up in 2023’s Most Acclaimed Film To Fight Zombies

After making a splash in the Star Wars fanbase thanks to his role in the ever-divisive Sequel Trilogy, it sounds like Adam Driver has no plans to return to the franchise anytime soon, much to the dismay of many. Widely regarded as one of the sole highlights of the Disney-overseen Star Wars Sequel Trilogy — which kicked off in 2015 with J.J. Abrams’s two-billion-dollar hit, Star Wars: Episode VII -The Force Awakens — Driver’s portrayal of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia Organa’s (Carrie Fisher) troubled son, Ben Solo (AKA Kylo Ren), helped skyrocket the actor to new heights of superstardom. But like many of his colleagues, it seems like he’s retiring his character as the franchise continues to expand rapidly.

Since Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019) landed in theaters, speculation has run rampant about a Kylo Ren-centric prequel story documenting his fall to the Dark Side or a Knights of Ren Disney+ spinoff series, though nothing has been confirmed. More recently, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy confirmed during April’s Star Wars Celebration Europe that a Rey (Daisy Ridley) solo movie was in the works, which naturally sparked rumors of Driver’s return to the franchise — perhaps as a Force ghost — along with co-stars John Boyega, who played rogue Stormtrooper Finn, and Oscar Isaac, who played Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

Related: ‘Star Wars’ Legend Casts Doubt on ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ Season 2

However, despite internet rumblings, Driver recently put an end to rumors about his involvement in Rey’s new Jedi Order movie during his appearance on the Smartless podcast. When asked about whether he would reprise his role as Kylo Ren in the future, Driver responded, “They’re doing stuff, but not with me. I’m not doing anymore.” The actor was then met with the reply, “You’re done because the character’s done?” to which he confirmed.

Based on his remarks, it sounds like there’s no Palpatine-esque resurrection in the cards for Kylo Ren, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise, given his story ended on a pretty final note in The Rise of Skywalker. Clearly, Driver doesn’t wish to return to Star Wars anytime soon, and it’s not difficult to imagine why.

For one, the Oscar-nominated actor has earned critical acclaim for his roles in award-winning dramas like Marriage Story (2019) and the more recent Ferrari (2023) since his tenure at Star Wars came to an end, meaning he probably doesn’t want to revisit the galaxy far, far away anytime soon now that he’s one of the most in-demand performers in Hollywood.

There’s also the matter of the sheer amount of hatred that surrounded the Sequel Trilogy upon its release, with many spewing particularly vile insults at the cast and crew. Because of this, it’s understandable that Driver might want to take a breather from the world of franchise filmmaking, which, sadly, isn’t an uncommon occurrence — Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader actor Hayden Christensen (AKA, Driver’s onscreen grandpa) experienced similar bullying and harassment throughout the Prequel Trilogy, leading him to take a nearly 17-year-long break from the galaxy far, far away.

Of course, there is the possibility that Driver is intentionally misleading audiences about a potential Star Wars return, as several Star Wars series have featured returning legacy actors who previously denied that they would reprise their former roles. That said, considering Driver’s very busy career and his candidness when discussing his rumored Kylo Ren comeback, it would perhaps be unwise not to take his word on it. Until Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey movie arrives in theaters, it’s impossible to say whether or not we’ll ever see Driver’s take on the character ever again.

Do you think Disney and Lucasfilm should follow through with a Kylo Ren spinoff project, or is his story complete? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.