Actor Adam Driver may have just taken a shot at Disney while at the London premiere of James Gray’s “Paper Tiger.” The film, which might earn him a third Oscar nomination, made a strong debut at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. While speaking to reporters on the red carpet, the actor, who previously played Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, said that he felt more comfortable on smaller sets where he didn’t have to worry about “moviemaking by committee.”
The ’Star Wars’ Sequel Trilogy Was Criticized For Its Lack Of Clear Vision
Adam Driver played Kylo Ren, and subsequently the redeemed Ben Solo, in 2015’s “The Force Awakens,” 2017’s “The Last Jedi,” and 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” The sequel trilogy has been heavily criticized for its lack of a clear narrative.
Lucasfilm initially tapped three different directors to carry each film: J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson, and Colin Trevorrow. However, Lucasfilm parted ways with Trevorrow after the controversial reception of “The Last Jedi,” and Abrams returned to complete the final film.
Many felt that while Johnson undid many of the “mystery boxes” Abrams set up in “The Force Awakens” (such as killing off Captain Phasma and Supreme Leader Snoke), Abrams then set out to undo the plot threads that Johnson set up in “The Last Jedi” (such as making Rey the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine instead of a “nobody.”)
Adam Driver Says He ‘Doesn’t Do Well’ On ‘Bigger Budget’ Movie Sets
While speaking to a reporter on the red carpet at the “Paper Tiger” premiere in London on October 10, Driver said he “Doesn’t do well” when it comes to “moviemaking by committee.”
“When it’s a bigger budget, sometimes it gets into moviemaking by committee,” Driver said in a video posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “And I just don’t do well in those atmospheres.”
One fan commented on the video, asking, “Who—or who all—would he have thrown such a comment at?” His comments may be directed at Disney, which previously shut down “The Hunt for Ben Solo.”
What Happened To ‘The Hunt For Ben Solo’?
In October 2025, Driver revealed that he and director Steven Soderbergh had been working on a “Star Wars” film set after the events of 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.” Although Ben Solo died at the end of the film, thus killing off everyone with the Skywalker bloodline, Driver had an idea to bring him back.
“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 told the Associated Press at the time.
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. Scott Z. Burns wrote what Driver called “one of the coolest (expletive) scripts I had ever been a part of.”
“We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it,” Driver explained. “We took it to Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, and they said no. They didn’t see how Ben Solo was alive. And that was that.”
Adam Driver Is Still Working With Disney
Even though fans might be disappointed that he isn’t returning to a galaxy far, far away, Driver still seems open to working with Disney despite his comments at the “Paper Tiger” premiere on October 10.
In August 2026, Driver appeared on video at Disney’s D23 event to reveal that he was finally joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Weeks after Kevin Feige teased that it had become a “tradition” for Driver to turn down roles in the MCU, Driver revealed that he will be playing Mister Sinister in the “X-Men” reboot. The film will be released on May 5, 2028.
Meanwhile, “Star Wars” fans are still hopeful that Ben Solo might appear in the next trilogy, but judging by Driver’s recent comments, it doesn’t look likely.
