Kathleen Kennedy Admits to "A Bit of Relief” in Leaving Lucasfilm
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Kathleen Kennedy expressed "a bit of relief" upon stepping down as Lucasfilm president in early 2026 after 14 years leading the Star Wars franchise, citing the immense challenge of succeeding George Lucas.
- During a Bloomberg interview, Kennedy reflected on balancing fan expectations with creative originality, acknowledging the difficulty of satisfying a passionate, longtime fanbase while pushing new storytelling directions.
- She highlighted her proudest achievements as relaunching the Star Wars film series with 2015’s The Force Awakens and producing acclaimed Disney+ series like Andor and The Mandalorian.
- Kennedy addressed her rare but difficult decisions to remove directors from projects such as Solo and Rogue One, emphasizing these were exceptional situations in her career.
- Looking ahead, Kennedy is returning to independent producing while remaining involved in Star Wars through the upcoming Starfighter film; she also expressed concern about industry consolidation and the impact of AI on Hollywood’s future.
