Latest Rumor About Kathleen Kennedy Exiting Lucasfilm Reveals Possible Timeframes For It To Happen
John F. Trent
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A new rumor claims that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy will not only be exiting the company, but claims to reveal the possible timeframes for when she will exit.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 15: Kathleen Kennedy arrives at the special 3-episode launch event for Lucasfilm’s original series Andor at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on September 15, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
This latest rumor comes from scooper WDW Pro, who previously reported at the end of July, “From the source that I have regarding Lucasfilm and the situation over there. I am told that Kathleen Kennedy will not be seeking a renewal or extension of her contract which ends in 2024.”
The scooper continued, “Now, I am told, although I cannot verify this independently, I am told that Kathleen Kennedy has negotiations still in place for the third week of August, that’s this August, and her contract as it is constituted will run out late next year.”
In that alleged scoop from July, WDW Pro also detailed that Kennedy might be stepping down as Lucasfilm President, but she still wanted to be part of Lucasfilm and Star Wars storytelling moving forward.
He explained, “I am told that one of the things that she wants is she wants EPs and she wants Executive Producer credits on at least two theatrical releases going forward and she wants actual creative consultation rights. She wants to be on set for two future theatrical releases even after she potentially exits Lucasfilm.”
WDW Pro later reiterated, “But she wants to continue to be, you know, on sets. She wants her name to be in the marquee. She wants to go to the premieres and the dining and all of that. She’s going to try and stick around even if she’s transitioned out of her role.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Kathleen Kennedy onstage during the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Disney)
Now, in a new scoop WDW Pro states, “For the first time ever, in the last few months, I’m hearing that Kathleen Kennedy will be departing. Now, we have some dates that we believe are likely to be those windows in which she will announce her retirement.”
Later in the video, WDW Pro revealed the first potential time frame where Kennedy could exit Lucasfilm, “One potential time frame that we’re looking at is the mid to late October of this year. We’re being told [it] has the potentiality for her to make an announcement. It would be announced internally to Lucasfilm is what we’re told.”
He then clarified, “We’re not saying she would retire in October. We think she’ll serve out her contract probably, but that contract ends next year in quarter three.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: (L-R) Daisy Ridley, Kathleen Kennedy and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attend the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
As for the second date, WDW Pro stated, “The second date that we’re hearing that it could be pushed back to and may have already been pushed back to, we just don’t know, which would be the very end of this year. We’re talking about around the holidays and that would be potentially to kind of quell the celebration of people like you and me who would say, ‘You know, well, it’s about time.’ But at the same time it could be early enough that they could get her into these award ceremonies even if they’re delayed a little bit due to the strike.”
“So it’s still award season, but also they get to bury the bad news with the holidays, which is pretty common,” he summarized.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 15: (L-R) Tony Gilroy, Kathleen Kennedy and Diego Luna arrive at the special 3-episode launch event for Lucasfilm’s original series Andor at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on September 15, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Finally, for the third date, WDW Pro revealed, “There is the scenario that they wait all the way until her contact is getting ready to end in October of next year. They finish up The Acolyte series and then they make the announcement and she gets into the next year’s, not this year, but the next year’s awards circuit.”
As for why he believes this one is most plausible, he explained, “It’s the Hollywood strike. The longer the Hollywood strike goes on, the less likely it is that Kathleen Kennedy has to make any kind of announcement because there’s nothing happening. And why would Disney then want to go and try to make negotiations with somebody who may be part of SAG-AFTRA, for example, to come take the place of Kathleen Kennedy. Why are they going to want to do those kind of negotiations and get those kind of contracts set up when they don’t know when they’ll be able to produce again?”
He continued, “And therefore they could be sending somebody lots of money to sit. They’re already paying Kathleen Kennedy to sit.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 26: (L-R) Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm honors composer John Williams on his 90th birthday at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
WDW Pro then detailed this is why there are three possible dates, “So that’s why there’s uncertainty. Because there’s uncertainty when this Hollywood strike wraps up.”
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