Kathleen Kennedy clarifies her future with Star Wars following reports that she would soon be retiring. Kennedy has been the president of Lucasfilm since George Lucas sold it to Disney in 2012. During her tenure, Lucasfilm has released numerous Star Wars movies and shows, along with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and the Disney+ Willow series. Kennedy’s decisions and involvement at Lucasfilm have been the source of extensive discourse and speculation for the past decade, including recent reports that she is on the way to stepping down from the company.
In an interview with ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Kennedy now explains that she is not retiring anytime soon and that she is still producing and overseeing the upcoming Star Wars movies. This includes her work as a producer on The Mandalorian & Grogu and on Shawn Levy’s Star Wars movie reportedly starring Ryan Gosling. She acknowledges that conversations with Disney CEO Bob Iger and co-chairman Alan Bergman have begun about what her “eventual succession” will look like, but this discussion is about the long-term future and does not mean she is soon retiring. Check out Kennedy’s comments below:
The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring. What’s happening at Lucasfilm is I have been talking for quite some time with both Bob and Alan about what eventual succession might look like. We have an amazing bench of people here, and we have every intention of making an announcement months or a year down the road. We are in lockstep as to what that’s going to be, and I am continuing. I’m producing Mandalorian the movie right now, and I’m also producing Shawn Levy’s movie, which is after that. So I’m continuing to stay at Lucasfilm and looking very thoughtfully with Bob and Alan as to who’s stepping in. So that is all underway, and we have every right to make that announcement when we want to make it.
What This Means For Star Wars
Kathleen Kennedy Is Still A Vital Part Of Star Wars’ Future
Kennedy’s comments confirm that she is still at the forefront of Lucasfilm and that this will not be changing in the near future. This is far from the first time that there have been reports of Kennedy retiring or being on the way to leaving Lucasfilm, and it is not the first time that these reports have been debunked. She is on the same page as Disney’s executives and is still involved in producing the franchise’s next movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu, along with Levy’s movie. Kennedy is thinking about her eventual successor, but that does not change her current position.
In terms of the franchise’s creative future, The Mandalorian & Grogu being the next movie, has been known for a while now. However, her comments about Levy’s Star Wars movie being the franchise’s next cinematic offering is a new development. While there have been many reports about Levy’s movie, it has not been officially announced by Lucasfilm in the same way that The Mandalorian & Grogu or Rey’s New Jedi Order movie has been announced. Levy’s project is now officially confirmed to be happening and it will be released before the New Jedi Order movie.
Our Take On Kathleen Kennedy’s Comments
Her Open And Candid Comments Are Most Welcome
It is refreshing to see Kennedy publicly clarifying what is happening at Lucasfilm and what the franchise’s movie future looks like. Her comments can help ensure that the most recent batch of misinformation stops. There has been an abundance of phenomenal Star Wars TV shows, movies, books, comics, and video games released during her tenure. Her leadership has contributed to these successes, and it is heartening to know that her role is not about to change as Star Wars continues to expand.
Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
