As Kathleen Kennedy exits Lucasfilm, she gives updates on future Star Wars projects
Kathleen Kennedy parts with Lucasfilm
The writing has been on the wall for a while. There have been rumblings, rumors and hearsay, but yesterday, it was made official that Kathleen Kennedy will step down as the President of Lucasfilm. This has long been expected, and Kennedy has even alluded to it in interviews. She will remain onboard as a producer of several upcoming films, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, and is expected to pursue other projects outside Lucasfilm as an independent producer. The new President/Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm will be Dave Filoni, but he’ll be sharing the role with Lynwen Brennan, who will be Lucasfilm’s new Co-President.
But what happened to the previously announced Star Wars projects?
Although Kennedy is stepping down, there are still some loose ends regarding some Star Wars projects. Deadline interviews Kennedy and asked the burning question about what is happening with the films from such filmmakers as Rian Johnson, James Mangold, Simon Kinberg and Taika Waititi. The former Lucasfilm president addresses,
I’ve got to tread a bit carefully here. Jim Mangold and Beau Willimon wrote an incredible script, but it is definitely breaking the mold and it’s on hold. Taika has turned in a script that I think is hilarious and great. It’s not just my decision, especially when I’ve got a foot out the door. Donald Glover has turned in a script. And as you have read, Steve Soderbergh and Adam Driver turned in a script written by Scott Burns. It was just great. Anything’s a possibility if somebody’s willing to take a risk.”
When the topic of the whereabouts of Rian Johnson’s long-developing trilogy came up, Kennedy explained,
Once he made the Netflix deal and went off to start doing the Knives Out films, that has occupied a huge amount of his time. That’s the other thing that happens here. After Shawn and I started talking about Star Wars, Stranger Things kicks in and he was completely consumed for a while by that. That’s what happened with Rian. And then I do believe he got spooked by the online negativity. I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies. He’s a brilliant filmmaker and he got spooked. This is the rough part. When people come into this space, I have every filmmaker and actors say to me, ‘What’s going to happen?’ They’re a little scared.”
When asked about the project that Simon Kinberg is writing and producing, Kennedy updated,
He’s working right now. He wrote something that we read in August, and it was very good, but not there. We’ve pretty much upended the story, and then spent a great deal of time on the treatment, which he finished literally about four weeks ago. And it’s a very detailed treatment, like 70 pages. And so he is expected to give us something in March.”
And when finally asked about any other projects that had been put in motion, Kennedy answered,
We’ve talked about this new trilogy and then the things that you’ve mentioned. Mangold’s is really on the back burner as is Soderbergh’s. I think the ones by Taika and Donald are still somewhat alive. That’s going to really be up to the new team to figure out. Dave, I know that Dave and Lynwen are very much on board with what Simon’s doing, and that would be a new trilogy. In the timeline of things, that takes you well into 2030 plus. So that’s really what’s up next.”
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