Kathleen Kennedy clarifies the forthcoming trajectory of Star Wars, encompassing her future departures.
Kathleen Kennedy ain't hanging up her filmmaking hat just yet, but she's on the hunt for some fresh faces to take the reins at Lucasfilm. Recent rumors of her retirement were swirling, but in an exclusive chat with Deadline, she set the record straight. "Nah, I ain't retiring from movies. I'll be making movies 'til the day I drop," she declared. "But I am considering who's gonna step into my shoes when I'm no longer around. I've been having these chats with Bob Iger and Alan Bergman for a while now."
Kennedy's not ready to name names just yet, but she did shed some light on the future of Star Wars. The Mandalorian and Grogu are set to return in 2026, with Shawn Levy's movie (possible starring Ryan Gosling) following suit. Levy's flick is a standalone tale set several years after The Rise of Skywalker. Simon Kinberg is also working on a new trilogy, which Kennedy described as "the next iteration, the new saga that moves us into the future."
As for the return of Rey, details are still under wraps. James Mangold's film is still in the scripting stages, as is Taika Waititi's. "I'm still waiting on Taika," Kennedy shared. "He's got his hands full, but when we do get a script from him, it's gonna be gold."
So, the retirement rumors? Not quite 100% accurate, but close. And it looks like we might be hearing more about Shawn Levy's Star Wars film at the upcoming Star Wars Celebration.
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Enrichment Insights:
- Dave Filoni, currently the Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm, is often considered a frontrunner for the job.
- Jon Favreau, director of The Mandalorian, is another strong contender.
- Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, is an intriguing option, but his commitment to Marvel might limit his availability.
- J.J. Abrams, director of The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, is also in the mix, though his candidacy seems less likely.
- Hannah Minghella, an experienced executive from Sony and Bad Robot, is another potential candidate.
- Emma Watts, formerly of Paramount and 20th Century Fox, is also being considered for the role.
Rayne Roberts, a name previously linked to the position, left Lucasfilm to join Searchlight Pictures.
Kathleen Kennedy expressed her intent to continue making movies, stating, "I'll be making movies 'til the day I drop." She's currently considering potential successors, sharing, "I've been having these chats with Bob Iger and Alan Bergman for a while now." The future of Star Wars includes the return of The Mandalorian and Grogu in 2026, followed by Shawn Levy's standalone movie featuring Ryan Gosling. Simon Kinberg is also working on a new trilogy, described as the "next iteration, the new saga that moves us into the future."
In terms of potential candidates to replace Kennedy, Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella, and Emma Watts are all mentioned as possibilities. Rayne Roberts, previously linked to the position, has since joined Searchlight Pictures.
