Skip to main content

While the sequel Star Wars trilogy was controversial in many ways, a lot of Star Wars fans can agree on plenty of things. For example, fans loved many of the action sequences, and fans generally praised the actors and their performances, too. This was especially true for Adam Driver’s Ben Solo, and many fans thought that his relationship with Rey was at the core of the sequel trilogy. On top of that, ever since he showed up in The Force Awakens, Driver has become a bigger and bigger star in Hollywood, and now, he has plenty of his own fans.

As a result, it’s not surprising that many Star Wars fans absolutely hate the idea of anyone but Adam Driver playing Ben Solo in the future. 

The fall and rise of Ben Solo

As Star Wars fans know, Ben’s had a rocky life. After being manipulated towards the dark side by Snoke and/or Palpatine, Ben decides to join the dark side when his uncle, Luke, contemplated killing him. This eventually resulted in Ben becoming a leader of the First Order. 

In that role, Ben did some terrible stuff to say the least. He was a bad boy, but then came a girl who changed him. Just like in Beauty and the Beast, Rey sees the good in Ben, and although she hates him at first, they eventually fall in love. 

Furthermore, with the help of his mother’s love, he decides to join the light again. But of course, like his grandfather, Darth Vader, he chooses to sacrifice himself for the one he loves. With his dying breathe, he gave his life to Rey, and she lives on in his honor. 

People love Adam Driver

Host Adam Driver as Kyle Ren
Host Adam Driver as Kyle Ren | Rosalind O’Connor/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

That tragic tale of Ben was brought to life by Driver’s riveting performance. He played Ben with a lot of anger and angst, but he also played Ben with a lot of tenderness and sincerity. When the director needed him to be angry and scary, Driver did that in spades. When the director needed him to be warm and caring, he did that as well. 

As such, it’s no surprise that Driver gained a lot of fans due to his work on the Star Wars movies. It’s also no surprise that he got a lot of work outside of those movies. With popular films such as Marriage Story and BlacKkKlansman under his belt, Driver gained not just fans, but also critical acclaim. 

Just like Ben’s father, Han, Driver is quickly becoming this generation’s Harrison Ford. And just like Ford, Star Wars fans are becoming very protective of who gets to play Ben Solo. 

Adam Driver is the only actor who could play Ben Solo

Related

‘Rogue One’: A ‘Star Wars’ Movie Director’s Cameo Still Goes Over Many Viewers’ Heads

Like one Star Wars fans said on Reddit, “Nobody can replace him, he made the character his.” Other fans said similar things, with one fan saying, “It’s Adam or bust.” Just like other potential recastings, Star Wars fans think that Driver is the only actor who could play Ben because part of what made Ben so iconic was Driver’s performance. Without Driver’s intensity or ferocity, Ben would’ve been a completely different character for many fans.

And to be fair, this was just a hypothetical scenario, and Lucasfilm has not announced any plans to recast Ben Solo in any way whatsoever. With that being said, fans are more open to the idea of someone else playing Ben as long as it’s not in live action. One fan wrote, “But for an animated content I am sure if Adam didn’t want to return they could find someone to voice the character.”

However, Lucasfilm is probably aware of how beloved Driver is, so it might not try any recasting whatsoever in any situation.

Best in Entertainment