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Though rumors of her retirement have been swirling for the past few months, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy does not appear to be slowing down in the slightest. She introduced a rare and “remarkable” print of the theatrical cut of Star Wars: A New Hope at the BFI Film on Film Festival in London. Already in the U.K. as Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter movie with Ryan Gosling readies for production, Kennedy also shared an update on her strategy for Star Wars universe films going forward. And we love the direction she seeks to take the franchise in.
Though Kennedy and the Lucasfilm team is coming off a critically acclaimed second season of the Disney+ series Andor, there hasn’t been a theatrically released Star Wars film since 2019 with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of Star Wars content since then, fans’ adverse reactions to Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Rise of Skywalker caused both industry professionals and lovers of the franchise to suspect Kennedy had lost her touch at the box office. A slew of behind-the-scenes issues plaguing various projects doesn’t exactly help the narrative either.
Kennedy’s New Strategy Focuses on Standalone Stories in the Star Wars Universe
ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 16: Producer Kathleen Kennedy (L) and actress Daisy Ridley attend Star Wars Celebration 2015 on April 16, 2015 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Kennedy told festival attendees at BFI (via Variety) that “I really think that now we’re in a position where it’s broadened the possibility of stories and filmmakers we can bring in to tell stories that mean something to them – it doesn’t necessarily have to connect to every little thing thats been done in Star Wars; it can actually be a standalone story that then builds into many many other stories.”
The Star Wars universe is arguably one of, if not the most, well-connected and interconnected media mythologies of the past 50 years. That’s what makes Kennedy’s focus on more standalone stories so exciting. The galaxy far, far away is now an incredibly lush and diverse place that can sustain an infinite amount of films. Also notable is Kennedy’s focus on filmmakers crafting movies from the heart. Since her ascension to Lucasfilm president in 2012, there’s been no shortage of directors who have parted ways with Lucasfilm over creative differences on Star Wars films.
Kennedy Centering Filmmakers in the Process Will Lead to Better Star Wars Films
Shawn levy.
The shift to hiring lauded filmmakers and allowing them to make the film that excites them, like Levy and his Starfighter movie, is a promising one that will not only lead to happier Star Wars fans but better box office returns too. Viewers can feel the tension between a filmmaker and their producers on screen. Just look at Solo — that film had a quite public and messy changing of the guard in the director’s chair and suffered for it.
Levy confirmed the heightened sense of ownership Kennedy is now championing in an interview with Variety in 2023, “When Kathy Kennedy brought me on board to make a Star Wars movie, her central mandate to me was, ‘I want a Shawn Levy movie. I want a story and a tone that reflects you and your taste and what you bring to your movies — with a Star Wars story.’ So I have felt extremely empowered.”
Another tool Kennedy employs for empowering filmmakers entering the Star Wars universe? She requires every one of them to watch A New Hope, referring to it as “the gold standard” of storytelling. Kennedy continued, “I would say this is the film everyone starts with when we start talking about story, [George Lucas’] intent, and what it is we’re trying to build off of.”
With Starfighter due in theaters in 2027, and The Mandalorian & Grogu film coming out next summer, Kennedy’s comments signal that there’s now even more to look forward to from the Star Wars universe on the big screen.
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