The rumors of Kathleen Kennedy‘s retirement plans have been drastically exaggerated, and the legendary Hollywood producer is setting the document straight. On Monday, Feb. 25, 2025, a report by the publication Puck said that Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm and the architect of the Star Wars franchise below Disney since 2012, can be stepping down and retiring in 2025. As so typically occurs, what began as a rumor was shortly interpreted as truth. However, it appears, this isn’t the case.
Talking with Deadline, Kathleen Kennedy cleared up her standing at Lucasfilm. She clarified that she will not be retiring, although she is starting to coach individuals to be her successors for when the day comes, in distinction to the Puck article, which said that Kennedy had failed to coach a protégée. Right here is Kennedy’s full quote, so every part is evident and there are not any extra misconceptions. Kennedy mentioned:
“The reality is, and I need to simply say loud and clear, I’m not retiring. I’ll by no means retire from films. I’ll die making films. That’s the very first thing that’s vital to say. I’m not retiring. What’s taking place at Lucasfilm is I’ve been speaking for fairly a while with each Bob and Alan about what eventual succession would possibly seem like. We’ve an incredible bench of individuals right here, and we’ve each intention of creating an announcement months or a yr down the street. We’re in lockstep as to what that’s going to be, and I’m persevering with. I’m producing Mandalorian the film proper now, and I’m additionally producing Sean Levy’s film, which is after that. So I’m persevering with to remain at Lucasfilm and looking out very thoughtfully with Bob and Alan as to who’s stepping in.
So that’s all underway, and we’ve each proper to make that announcement after we need to make it…There has by no means been any chaos as a result of we all know precisely what the plan is. And we’ve been speaking about it, as I mentioned, nonstop for the final couple of years as a result of for apparent causes, I’m not going to be right here eternally. George requested me 13 years in the past to step in, and now I’m who’s going to interchange me. And as I mentioned, we’ve a bench of individuals internally to deal with the enterprise, the inventive facet. The job has grown additionally since I stepped in. There was no streaming, there weren’t lots of the issues that we’re concerned in proper now happening. So it has grown.”
Associated
Who Is Kathleen Kennedy and Why Is She in Cost of Star Wars?
Kathleen Kennedy is the president of Lucasfilm and is accountable for the Star Wars franchise. Right here is her historical past and why George Lucas picked her.
George Lucas handpicked Kathleen Kennedy as co-president of Lucasfilm in Could 2012, making ready her for his eventual sale of the studio to the Walt Disney Company in October 2012, at which era Kennedy grew to become president of Lucasfilm. Kennedy has overseen many vital moments within the Star Wars franchise. 4 of the 5 Star Wars movies below her management grossed $1 billion on the worldwide field workplace, with each The Drive Awakens and The Final Jedi being the highest-grossing movies of their respective years on the home and world field workplace. She noticed the franchise’s profitable transfer to streaming with hit exhibits like The Mandalorian, Andor, and Skeleton Crew. Disney has seen her as a helpful asset, having renewed her contract in 2018, 2021, and 2024. Earlier than she renewed her contract in 2021, rumors additionally circulated that she would get replaced as the top of Lucasfilm, displaying that is simply turning into a repeated sample.
Kathleen Kennedy Is not Going Wherever Anytime Quickly
Regardless of all of Kennedy’s success, together with being the producer on many critically acclaimed movies earlier than she was related to Star Wars, Kennedy has grow to be a polarizing determine on-line. Some corners of the Star Wars fandom assume she ruined the franchise, citing a few of the fumbles, like Solo: A Star Wars Story being the primary movie within the franchise to bomb on the field workplace, disappointing exhibits like The E-book of Boba Fett, and a slew of tasks that had been introduced that by no means materialized as proof she will not be the appropriate chief. Whereas these had been missteps for the franchise, some followers notably gave her all of the blame however by no means any credit score for the hits. If one thing went improper with Star Wars, it was all Kathleen Kennedy’s fault. It is usually no secret that Kennedy has been the goal of sexist criticism and assaults by a misogynistic phase of the fandom.
The Star Wars franchise is in an fascinating place proper now. Regardless of a tough pivot into streaming, Andor Season 2 and the beforehand introduced Ahsoka Season 2 seem like the final main live-action Star Wars sequence introduced for Disney+. The franchise is now transferring again to the large display screen, first with The Mandalorian & Grogu, scheduled for a Could 2026 launch date. Many different Star Wars movies, together with one with Daisy Ridley returning as Rey and James Mangold directing a film concerning the first Jedi, are in growth. That may have been a clue that Kennedy seemingly wasn’t going wherever anytime quickly, as there have been many tasks in growth that, hopefully, will finally be launched. For all of the offended followers on-line who may need wished her out, Kathleen Kennedy has now grabbed the mic like Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Road and mentioned, “I am not leaving.”
Supply: Deadline
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