Adam Driver keeps saying no to Marvel, Kevin Feige says
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige says the studio has repeatedly met with Adam Driver about MCU roles, only for the actor to pass.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Adam Driver has become Marvel Studios’ most polite recurring rejection, according to Kevin Feige.
The Marvel president said on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast that the studio has tried more than once to bring the “Star Wars” actor into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the talks have not turned into a deal.
“It’s no secret we’d like to [work with Adam],” Feige said on the podcast. “But it’s a tradition to Zoom with him and then he passes. That’s a long-lived tradition. He couldn’t be more cordial. He is usually upfront about how he is feeling.”
Feige did not say which Marvel parts Driver has been offered, and he did not name any specific projects connected to the actor.
The comments arrive while social media chatter has linked Driver to Magneto in Marvel’s planned “X-Men” reboot. Feige said on the podcast that casting for the new “X-Men” movie has not been decided.
A franchise veteran keeping his options tight
Driver already has one galaxy-sized franchise on his résumé. He played Kylo Ren, also known as Ben Solo, in three “Star Wars” films: “The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi” and “The Rise of Skywalker.”
The actor has been selective about adding another blockbuster machine to his career, at least based on Feige’s account of Marvel’s repeated attempts. Feige characterized Driver as courteous in the conversations and clear about where he stands.
Driver has not publicly commented on Feige’s latest remarks about Marvel’s efforts to cast him.
Driver wanted more Ben Solo
While Driver has not joined Marvel, he has said he was ready to return to “Star Wars” under the right conditions.
In an interview with the Associated Press last fall, Driver said he had worked with director Steven Soderbergh on developing a film centered on Ben Solo. The project was called “The Hunt for Ben Solo,” according to the AP.
Driver told the AP that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy had reached out and that he had been discussing another “Star Wars” movie since 2021.
“I always was interested in doing another ‘Star Wars,’” Driver said at the time. “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 said the team brought the script to Lucasfilm, where he said the idea was received positively. He then said the project went to Disney executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, who turned it down.
“We presented the script to Lucasfilm. They loved the idea. They totally understood our angle and why we were doing it,” Driver told the AP. “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.”
For now, Feige’s version of events leaves Driver outside the MCU, despite Marvel’s continued interest. The “X-Men” reboot also remains without announced casting, according to Feige.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.