The end of an era will soon be upon us, as a report from Puck says Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy plans to retire before the end of the year. Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in 2012 as co-chair alongside Star Wars creative George Lucas. A few short months into her position, Lucasfilm sold to Disney for $4 billion, prompting Lucas to pack his bags and retire to Skywalker Ranch.
Kennedy made her mark at the studio by relaunching the Star Wars universe with J.J. Abrams’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. While the film banked $2 billion globally, the reset was ill-received by many long-time franchise fans. Regardless of online bellyaching, Kennedy pressed onward with two more entries in the core series, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Kennedy took the Star Wars franchise in questionable directions, creatively and financially, throughout her tenure. She hired Chris Lord and Phil Miller to direct Solo: A Star Wars Story partway through the film’s production, pushed Gareth Edwards away from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, then hired Tony Gilroy, whose efforts to organize reshoots were hampered by work already completed on the film, creating a confusing atmosphere. Other projects under Kennedy’s watch failed to reach fans, including a trilogy by Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, a movie from Game of Thrones creatives D.B. Benioff and David Weiss, and Daisy Ridley’s rumored return to the Star Wars Universe.
Star Wars recouped some of its popularity and appeal on Disney+ with The Mandalorian, which lasted for three seasons and has a feature film on the way with The Mandalorian and Grogu. Other live-action Star Wars series on the mouse-eared streaming service, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Skeleton Crew, received mixed reviews from fans, with many voicing their frustration for the franchise’s direction under Kennedy’s watch.
While Star Wars is typically the focus of Kennedy’s output at the studio, she’s been on the ground floor of many beloved projects, including Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), The Goonies (1985), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), the Back to the Future Trilogy (1985-1990), and the Indiana Jones movies, which many would say have been on the decline since Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008).
Kathleen Kennedy’s career at Lucasfilm has had its share of ups and downs, but her mark on many of pop culture’s most adored franchises is undeniable. While one generation balks at Kennedy’s creative choices, another remembers her contributions fondly, depending on who you ask. That said, it’s time for a creative shake-up. Lucasfilm is a premiere studio with talented individuals making cinematic magic daily. Injecting new visions could take the studio beyond the stars in future years.
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