Star Wars boss caught in culture wars unleashed by toxic fans steps down after 14 years
Brooks Barnes
Los Angeles: Star Wars There are new emperors.
Kathleen Kennedy will step down as president of Lucasfilm after nearly 14 years of success, Disney said Thursday (The Mandalorian, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Andor), some miss (Solo) and near-constant culture war turbulence. He will be replaced by Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni and the studio’s chief of business affairs and operations Lynwen Brennan.
Their appointments take effect immediately. Filoni, 51, will carry the title of president. Brennan, 58, will be co-chairman. Kennedy, 72, will return to the hallowed producing career he started in 1982. Extraterrestrial ET And Poltergeist. He is the executive producer of the next two Star Wars movies.
Running Lucasfilm is extraordinarily difficult. The studio’s movies and TV shows are expensive to produce because they rely on extensive visual effects, leading to intense scrutiny from Wall Street and the news media. At the same time Star Wars Fan bases can be toxic and resistant to change; especially in terms of diversity in casting and storytelling, which Kennedy prioritized. Racist and misogynistic voices often overshadow positive discussions about new movies and TV series.
Kennedy was initially prepared to surrender office. Star Wars He went for checks in 2024, but agreed to a contract extension. At the time, Lucasfilm was in the throes of putting it together. Star Wars: Star WarriorIt’s a risky film directed by Shawn Levy that aims to expand the franchise beyond the Skywalker saga.
Lucasfilm was also smart HelperAn expensive Disney+ show – criticized for its cast’s diversity, it was canceled after one season. Disney cited inadequate viewership numbers.
By choosing Lucasfilm veterans as Kennedy’s successors, Disney is signaling that it believes the boutique studio is on the right track. The selections can also be interpreted as a conciliatory nod to fans: Star Wars You know and love is safe.
Filoni, a self-styled executive with a penchant for Western-style clothing, has been with Lucasfilm for 21 years. He is known for his strong stance. Star Wars stubborn: They tend to trust him, in part because he was mentored by George Lucas. Star Wars Filoni has been a producer and writer behind Lucasfilm’s popular shows such as: Ahsoka, Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels And The Mandalorian.
Brennan, who grew up in Wales, is a 27-year veteran of Lucasfilm. He started working at Industrial Light & Magic, a visual effects company affiliated with Lucasfilm. Brennan most recently led the studio’s gaming, publishing and consumer products divisions.
Kennedy took over Lucasfilm from Lucas in 2012. He soon sold the studio to Disney for $4 billion ($5.97 billion).
Eager to see a return on his investment, Disney pushed Kennedy to begin production Star Wars movies. He quickly delivered a new trilogy that brought in nearly US$5 billion in ticket sales; it was a victory. The fourth blockbuster movie, Bandit OneIt generated net income of more than $1 billion.
Kennedy later served from a creative team that included filmmaker Jon Favreau. The Mandalorian. It was a sensation that almost single-handedly made Disney’s streaming service an overnight success. AndorThe acclaimed 2022 series was another notable success.
In the process, Kennedy became a lightning rod.
tried to do Star Wars is more attractive to women and minorities; While its fan base is enormous, it remains largely male and white. While many fans praised the effort, another group pushed back. in 2023 south park He parodied Kennedy giving the same feedback on every project: “Put a chick in it! Make it lame and gay!”
Halfway through his tenure, Kennedy clashed with film directors over tone and tone, leading to their departure. A lot Star Wars movie projects were announced and then quietly shelved, frustrating fans. Solo There was a huge drop in the box office in 2018, causing Disney to slow down. Star Wars movie release.
It looks like Lucasfilm is back on its feet. In May, Star Wars the franchise will return to movie screens for the first time since 2019 The Mandalorian and Grogu. Film directed by Favreau may generate sales Star Wars Cost a necessary jolt.
Exactly starfighterStarring Ryan Gosling. The film is scheduled to be released in May 2027, coinciding with its 50th anniversary. Star Wars.
This article was first published on: New York Times.
