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Disney's new announcement makes the Hunt for Ben Solo decision even more frustrating. August 23, 2026, 12:00pm Last year, Star Wars star Adam Driver, who played Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in the sequel trilogy, revealed that he had been working on a movie script for a follow-up movie titled The Hunt for Ben Solo. This was shocking and thrilling news, as Ben Solo had died in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which seemed to seal his fate. What's more, Driver himself seemed to be over Star Wars and uninterested in coming back, although that was conjecture. The very existence of The Hunt for Ben Solo suggested both assumptions were wrong, much to the delight of many Star Wars fans who thought that character and Driver both had so much more potential than the sequel movies had taken advantage of. Unfortunately, excitement for this project fell as swiftly as it had risen, because Driver simultaneously revealed that Disney had shot down the proposal, despite Driver being signed on to star in the movie, Steven Soderbergh attached to direct, and Lucasfilm fully supporting the script. That news led to massive backlash, with a full-fledged campaign to save the movie being led by fans. Sadly, recent updates have suggested that ComicBook, LLC is no closer to getting The Hunt for Ben Solo, as much as fans are basically begging for it, which only makes it all the more frustrating that Disney has just announced a project that audiences are, seemingly, much less enthused about. Disney struck a deal with Dhar Mann Studios - and fans are rightfully confused. Perhaps the most surprising part of Disney rejecting The Hunt for Ben Solo is the fact that it feels like such a slam dunk idea. Yes, the sequel trilogy was incredibly divisive, and it continues to be a hot topic in the fanbase today. Yet, Adam Driver's performance was widely praised, with many finding Ben Solo/Kylo Ren to be among the highlights of the trilogy. If anything, his death was one of the most controversial things about his story, and this gave Star Wars a clear way to bring him back - thereby restoring the Skywalker bloodline, too. When it was revealed that Disney had rejected the project, some fans felt there must be something ComicBook, LLC don't know going on behind the scenes that would make the powers that be decide to shoot this great idea down. However, it's hard to maintain that perspective when Disney has just announced a new partnership with Dhar Mann Studios. Specifically, according to Deadline, Disney struck a deal with Dhar Mann, the popular scripted content creator, that will see the House of Mouse putting out a minimum of 20 episodes "crafted for kids, tweens, teens, and families" and produced by Dhar Mann Studios. Audiences generally haven't taken too kindly to this idea, with the comments under one X post about the decision making it clear just how unfavorable some are finding this announcement to be. One comment under the post reads, "Dhar Mann videos are so cringy. This sounds like a terrible business decision. Do better Disney!" Another similarly says, "Disney might actually be the most washed studio of all time." Clearly, the news isn't going over very well with many, and although these are obviously very distinct projects both in terms of their scope and in terms of their scale, it does raise serious questions about how Disney is making decisions about what gets green lit and what gets nixed.

Week in review: Test your knowledge of notable news. * Lee wire services * 4 hrs ago * 0 The Treasury Department is doubling the size of its buyback operations for longer-term government debt. From record national debt to a failed NASA rescue mission and scrutiny of a Trump aide, here are stories that made headlines this past week. Or skip down to the quiz to test your news savvy. US national debt rises past $40T threshold. WASHINGTON - Total U.S. debt topped $40 trillion for the first time, the Treasury Department said Wednesday, drawing fresh warnings that a fiscal crisis is brewing as ballooning costs for social safety-net programs and interest payments far outstrip revenues held back by tax cuts. * David Lawder and Jacob Bogage Reuters The Treasury's daily cash and debt balances statement showed total public debt outstanding at $40.047 trillion Tuesday, which includes Treasury securities held by the public of $32.266 trillion and intra-governmental debt holdings of $7.782 trillion. People are also reading... The Treasury also announced support measures for long-duration bonds after an upward march in yields unnerved global investors. Israel acknowledges it killed Gaza girl, family. JERUSALEM - Israel's military acknowledged Wednesday that its troops opened fire on a car carrying Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, 5, and her family members in Gaza in 2024 and said it opened a criminal investigation. Hind Rajab's killing was one of the most high-profile incidents involving civilian deaths during Israel's military assault in Gaza, launched after the 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel. She died after being pinned down in a car for hours, begging Palestinian medics by mobile phone to send help, while her aunt, uncle and three cousins already lay dead. An ambulance was dispatched but dispatchers soon lost contact. Twelve days later, the bodies of the girl, her relatives and two ambulance workers were recovered from the area. Trump gives media tour of White House projects. President Donald Trump on Wednesday led reporters on a tour of White House construction projects he hopes will cement his legacy. The helipad on the South Lawn is near completion, Trump said, after he ordered it to be redone to eliminate a gradual slope meant to help drain rainwater. On Friday, the Supreme Court allowed work to continue on his White House ballroom project while a lawsuit that aims to stop it plays out. * John Kruzel Reuters Poll: A majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump and his family inappropriately profited from cryptocurrency since his return to power and his policy decisions are influenced by his private business dealings, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Monday. Lawsuit: Disney and its ABC unit sued the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday to block an early review of licenses for eight ABC stations, arguing the Trump administration seeks to punish the network over its broadcast content. Inoculations: U.S. kindergarten vaccination coverage fell 0.1% during the 2025-2026 school year, continuing a downward trend since the onset of COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Monday. North Korea: President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year, and said the Asian nation held 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons. Kennedy Center: In a court filing Tuesday, a Democratic board member of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts said she'll seek a court order blocking Republican President Donald Trump's name from being added again to the building's facade, months after a federal judge said only Congress could rename the Washington venue. Mission aborted: A mission to rescue NASA's aging Swift observatory was canceled Wednesday after the spacecraft launched to tug the satellite to a higher orbit suffered technical issues in space, rescue craft owner Katalyst Space said. Hayden Panettiere (1989-2026): The actor Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in TV series like "Heroes" and "Nashville," died last Sunday at age 36. Her representative confirmed her death to USA Today. With a prolific career in TV and film, she was vocal about her troubles with addiction and the effects of childhood stardom. Cancer vaccine: Moderna and Merck said Wednesday that a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, tested with Merck's immunotherapy drug Keytruda, reduced the risk of recurrence and spread of melanoma, a major success in a new field of cancer treatment. It was the first positive late-stage trial result for an mRNA cancer vaccine, which trains a patient's immune system to fight tumors by targeting specific mutations in those cells. Verdict stands: Rebuffing President Donald Trump for a second time, the Supreme Court declined Monday to hear his appeal of a $5 million verdict in favor of E. Jean Carroll after a jury found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming the former magazine columnist. Bill Rasmussen (1932-2026): ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen died Tuesday at age 93 from complications of Parkinson's disease, the network announced. He and his son Scott founded the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network in 1979 as a cable channel based in Connecticut. He was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame last year. Big number. $133 million: The sum people already bet on 2026 U.S. midterm elections, surpassing the $92.4 million wagered during the 2024 congressional election cycle, the Anti-Corruption Data Collective said Monday. Quote of the week. "He doesn't want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the emir of Qatar," U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., said last Sunday of President Donald Trump, drawing attention to the Republican leader's close aide Natalie Harp, 35. Take the quiz. Be the first to know. Related to this story. The Treasury Department is doubling the size of its buyback operations for longer-term government debt.