Star Wars Rumor: Kathleen Kennedy to Step Down as Lucasfilm President After Indiana Jones
A new rumor details that Kathleen Kennedy will step down as Lucasfilm President following the release of Indiana Jones.
The rumor reportedly comes from Making Star Wars’ Jason Ward on his ‘Now, This is Podcasting!” Episode 284 that he made available to backers on his Patreon.
However, Reddit user Sidon_Ithano posted a number of bullet points from the episode. One of those bullet points reads:
“Jason heard that Kathleen Kennedy will step down as LucasFilm president after Indiana Jones 5 but will still produce movies. Kevin Feige will run LucasFilm but will have separate divisions run by other people.”
Kathleen Kennedy Renews Star Wars Contract for 3 Years
The fifth Indiana Jones film is expected to be released on July 9, 2021. Disney and Lucasfilm reportedly renewed Kennedy’s contract back in September 2018 for three years, meaning it expires sometime in 2021.
The next announced Star Wars feature film is not expected to hit theaters until December 16, 2022, a year after Kennedy’s contract is expected to expire.
Related: Report: Kevin Feige Already Has “Major Actor” Picked for Star Wars Film
This new rumor comes just a couple of weeks after Disney’s Alan Horn announced Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige would be working with Kathleen Kennedy on producing an upcoming Star Wars film.
Horn told The Hollywood Reporter:
“We are excited about the projects Kathy and the Lucasfilm team are working on, not only in terms of Star Wars but also Indiana Jones and reaching into other parts of the company including Children of Blood and Bone with Emma Watts and Fox. With the close of the Skywalker Saga, Kathy is pursuing a new era in Star Wars storytelling, and knowing what a die-hard fan Kevin is, it made sense for these two extraordinary producers to work on a Star Wars film together.”
Related: Report: Kevin Feige’s Star Wars Movie is a Pink Slip for Kathleen Kennedy
Shortly after Horns’ announcement, Reddit user oryanjohnson speculated that Feige’s move to Star Wars was a pink slip for Kathleen Kennedy.
The announcement came after a troubling Q3 Financial Report and Investor’s call that detailed low attendance at Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland, decrease in Star Wars merchandise sales, and the financial failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story at the box office.
Related: Star Wars and Lucasfilm Appoint Michelle Rejwan To Oversee Future of Film and TV Franchise
Not only did Disney announce Feige would be producing a Star Wars film, but back in June, former J.J. Abrams assistant Michelle Rejwan was appointed to oversee the future of the Star Wars franchise in feature films and episodic series for Lucasfilm and Disney Plus.
Kennedy announced Rejwan’s promotion with the following statement:
“Working with Michelle over the last seven years as a producer on both The Force Awakens and now The Rise of Skywalker, I have seen first-hand her skills collaborating with writers and directors, and I’ve been incredibly impressed with her creative skills and her ability to manage the complexity surrounding these massive projects.
I know the importance of building a team that you trust and have fun working with – it is paramount to our success. There’s an exciting momentum building around the future of the franchise, and both myself and the Lucasfilm team look forward to working with Michelle in shaping the future in all areas of story development, from theatrical film development to live action content for Disney+.”
What do you make of this new rumor? Do you think Kathleen Kennedy could be out after Indiana Jones?
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