Earlier this week, it was rumored that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy would go away the manufacturing firm by the top of the 12 months. Nicely, Kennedy, who succeeded George Lucas as head of the corporate following the Disney acquisition in 2012, has now responded straight to those retirement rumors. Whereas it’s nice to have clarification on this matter, I’m frankly extra happy in regards to the updates she supplied on a number of the upcoming Star Wars films.
Kathleen Kennedy’s Response To The Retirement Rumors
In an unique interview with Deadline, Kennedy set the report straight by saying that retirement is under no circumstances on the horizon for her. In her phrases:
The reality is, and I wish 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.
Okay, not less than that’s been cleared up. Kathleen Kennedy, who scored her first movie credit score as a producer on E.T., won’t be leaving the world of filmmaking. Nevertheless, she did say that she’s been speaking with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, the co-chairman of Disney Leisure, a few succession plan for Lucasfilm down the road. As she put it:
What’s occurring at Lucasfilm is I’ve been speaking for fairly a while with each Bob and Alan about what eventual succession would possibly appear to be. We’ve got an incredible bench of individuals right here, and we now have each intention of creating an announcement months or a 12 months down the highway. We’re in lockstep as to what that’s going to be, and I’m persevering with.
This is sensible, as ultimately there’ll come a time when new management is required and somebody will exchange Kennedy. For now although, she’s staying firmly entrenched on this planet of Star Wars, including:
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 searching very thoughtfully with Bob and Alan as to who’s stepping in. So that’s all underway, and we now have each proper to make that announcement once we wish to make it.
As soon as that enterprise was out of the best way, Kathleen Kennedy additionally shared some updates on a number of the Star Wars films within the works, and it’s most welcome to find out how their progress is coming alongside.
The place Issues Stand On The Star Wars Motion pictures Entrance
As Kathleen Kennedy talked about, subsequent up on the Star Wars films so as entrance is The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Could 2026 launch, which will probably be a theatrical film somewhat than a Disney+ subscription unique like The Mandalorian collection. Through the interview although, Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. first inquired in regards to the trilogy of Star Wars films that Simon Kinberg is writing and producing. Right here’s what Kennedy needed to say about that:
We’re completely rolling quick and furiously. That has gone exceptionally nicely, and he’s actually going to script as we communicate. We’ll see one thing in all probability round June. Simon, in the event you keep in mind, he did some work with us years in the past with the animated present, which was a extremely great collaborative expertise. And he then acquired very, very busy with X-Males after which just lately grew to become obtainable once more, and he segued into this house fantastically. We’re actually enthusiastic about the place that’s headed.
The manager added this trilogy will probably be “the following iteration, the brand new saga that strikes us into the long run.” Then, as talked about by Kennedy earlier, there’s Shawn Levy’s mysterious Star Wars film, which can reportedly star Ryan Gosling and are available out after The Mandalorian & Grogu. She acknowledged that Levy’s film can even be set post-The Rise of Skywalker, “perhaps 5 – 6 years out.”
Lastly, there’s James Mangold’s Star Wars film that’s set roughly 25,000 years earlier than the occasions of A New Hope and discover the origins of the Drive. When Kathleen Kennedy requested if that mission remains to be occurring, she answered:
Yep. He’s engaged on this script proper now. Simon’s engaged on scripts proper now. Shawn, we had been working with him already for a few 12 months and a half. These guys can be found now. Jim, he acquired delayed a bit due to the Dylan film and the awards season. It’s important to accommodate high expertise to a sure extent. And high quality is so vital with what it’s we’re making an attempt to do. I like to attend for those that I believe are passionate and actually good to step into Star Wars.
In fact, these are just some of the Star Wars films in improvement. Among the many others are Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy-directed film bringing again Daisy Ridley’s Rey, Dave Filoni’s New Republic film and Taika Waititi’s untitled film (Kathleen Kennedy admitted that the Thor: Ragnarok filmmaker’s been busy recently and nonetheless hasn’t turned in a script). Whether or not all these will get made stays to be seen, however per Kennedy, there’s sufficient cinematic leisure set in a galaxy far, far-off that’s progressing properly.
The Mandalorian & Grogu will break the Star Wars films dry spell when it’s launched on Could 26, 2026. However arriving a lot prior to that’s Andor Season 2, which premieres April 22 on Disney+.