The 'Kathleen Kennedy Fired By Lucasfilm' Rumor Explained
Since Disney purchased Lucasfilm from its founder George Lucas in 2012, the studio has been helmed by Kathleen Kennedy. Hand-picked by Lucas to succeed him, Kennedy has overseen the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" franchises for the past decade under Disney's stewardship. But a new rumor, which appears not to be true, has circulated in recent days, suggesting Kennedy is slated to be replaced.
The unsubstantiated claim has been traced to Twitter user @Thwipt_, who is known for leaking Disney news but has a spotty track record of accuracy. On June 29, they tweeted, "I'm hearing Kathleen Kennedy is now gone from Lucasfilm." As far as we know, Kennedy won't be looking for work anytime soon, as her current contract lasts through 2024, but the tweet was enough to confirm what plenty of fans who haven't been pleased with Lucasfilm wanted to hear.
With the poor box-office performance of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," some assumed its tepid reception was the final straw for Kennedy. And while it remains possible that the executive is in hot water behind the scenes, reports of her firing appear to have no material basis.
A small but vocal subset of Star Wars fans want Kennedy gone
A former producer for Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy took charge of Lucasfilm in 2012 and became responsible for charting a new course for the studio. But a vocal subset of "Star Wars" fans have been pushing for the removal of Kennedy as Lucasfilm president for some time now. The drama began to emerge following the mixed reception to 2017's "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," which divided the fan base like nothing the franchise had released before it. The movie was review-bombed on Rotten Tomatoes, with an alt-right group taking credit for tanking the score.
Notably, however, "The Last Jedi" made over $1.3 billion at the box office, placing it among the most profitable movies of all time. In fact, Kennedy had a remarkable career long before she took the reins under Disney. A co-founder of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment production company, her first project was the classic science fiction film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." The list of classics with her name on them only grew, including "Jurassic Park," "The Goonies," "Back to the Future," "Schindler's List," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Blame for the relative failure of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" to deliver another box office smash may be laid at Kennedy's feet, but will it be enough to topple her monumental career? Unlikely. With that in mind, reports of friction between Kennedy and other higher-ups at Disney have circulated since late 2022, though they appear to be sourced from a YouTuber who claimed to have inside knowledge of the situation.