TheQuartering [11/22/2022]
According to John Campea, long-time head of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy may leave in 2023.
Ever since Disney purchased Lucasfilm – the studio responsible for franchises such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones – the production company has been run by current President Kathleen Kennedy.
Kennedy got her start at Amblin Entertainment along with Steven Spielberg and first worked on movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Jurassic Park. She eventually worked with George Lucas himself on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
She has become one of the most successful film producers in terms of box office success in history thanks to her time at Lucasfilms, but that may be coming to an end.
According to insider John Campea on his YouTube show: “I have heard that the decision to remove Kathy Kennedy has already been made and that she will be gone either sometime before or very, very, very shortly thereafter the release of Indiana Jones 5.”
Campea says that this change was made after the recent changes to the Disney hierarchy, which saw former CEO Bob Iger come out of retirement to take his old position from Bob Chapek. Given that Indiana Jones is releasing in May 2023, it seems likely that the exit would take place later in 2022 or early 2023.
The decision to remove Kennedy surprised Campea, who says he heard about this decision from two different sources. But Campea thought that the return of Iger would have given Kennedy more security given their relationship at Disney together.
With the House of Mouse in turmoil, the future of Lucasfilms is now uncertain as well. Although Kennedy presided over some of Star Wars’ biggest triumphs like The Mandalorian and Andor, she has also been responsible for big failures like The Rise of Skywalker and Solo.
Many fans will undoubtedly be overjoyed to see Kennedy gone, but her departure leave a massive void at Lucasfilm.