This Christmas, Adam Driver delivered disheartening news to Star Wars enthusiasts regarding the destiny of Kylo Ren. As the sequel trilogy of the Skywalker Saga concludes, so does the narrative of the beloved villain, according to the actor’s understanding.
The actor was chosen for a role in the initial installment of the new trilogy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), back in April 2014 by director J.J. Abrams. This decision was based on the belief that he could effectively portray a character with complex internal conflicts between the light and dark sides. He went on to reprise this role in Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi (2017) and J.J. Abrams’ The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Demonstrating his versatile talents, Driver showcased strong comedic skills alongside his dramatic abilities when he hosted Saturday Night Live for the first and third times in 2016 and 2020, both featuring Star Wars-themed “Undercover Boss” sketches.
In Episode 182 of the SmartLess podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, Driver made an official announcement that the antagonist would not be part of future installments despite the series progressing with its production. Having previously worked on smaller, faster-paced projects like Girls and This is Where I Leave You (2014), Driver found Star Wars‘ slower pace to be a significant adjustment. Acknowledging this, he confessed, “Star Wars was way more exhausting for me. I made it more exhausting than it should’ve been because I hadn’t figured out the momentum of a set that was that big before.”
While some actors find themselves limited in opportunities or typecast after starring in major franchises, Driver shared with the hosts that he never envisioned Star Wars as the sole job defining his career. He mentioned that, despite promoting other projects, interviewers often circle back to questions about the series. Driver admitted, “I wasn’t thinking too far ahead like that, what the end result would be, because the end result could also be you’re in a movie that everybody saw and nobody liked, they didn’t like you in it, and they didn’t like the movie.”
Fortunately for him, fans appreciated Driver’s nuanced performance as Ren, and his optimism about exploring a variety of roles post-Kylo Ren turned out to be accurate. He subsequently earned two Academy Award nominations in 2018 and 2019.
The character’s absence in future films might not come as a shock to movie enthusiasts, particularly those who have followed the storyline. In The Rise of Skywalker, Rey engages in a duel with Kylo Ren on Kef Bir, seemingly ending his life. However, she resurrects him through the power of Force-healing. Ren subsequently renounces his alter ego, embracing his original identity as Ben Solo on a redemptive journey. Ultimately, he sacrifices himself in an act of selflessness to save Rey, merging with the Force.
Driver noted that director Rian Johnson diverged from J.J. Abrams’ original plan for Ren’s narrative, intending to take it in the opposite direction of Darth Vader’s. “As opposed to someone who’s the most dark from the beginning and by the end of the series becomes the most vulnerable, [Ren] starts the most vulnerable and becomes little by little more committed to the dark side,” Driver explained in the podcast. Although this concept was discarded, the actor unintentionally retained it in the back of his mind while portraying the character.
The redemption journey of Ben Solo has sparked divided opinions among fans. Some feel that his death appeared to diminish the significance of his redemption, while others criticize the character for seemingly deciding his redemption after a conversation with a memory of his father, Han. Despite the strong start of The Force Awakens in resetting the Star Wars universe and introducing Ren’s character, many believe that the villain’s storyline became convoluted as the sequel saga progressed. Such concerns might not be surprising, considering Driver mentioned that when he received the role offer, there was no script for him to review—an unusual situation for the actor. He had to commit to J.J. Abrams’ vision based solely on the director’s verbal explanation of the entire premise.
While this announcement might disappoint some fans, there is optimism for the future with Disney’s extensive plans for Star Wars-related content released since the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga. For Adam Driver enthusiasts, they can look forward to seeing him in the upcoming film “Ferrari,” a biopic about the founder of the iconic car brand.
