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| Image credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney |
The current head of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, has become a
polarizing figure among Star Wars fans. She may also be for others at Disney.
As reported previously by Culture Slate, there have been constant rumors,
mostly unfounded, about her imminent departure.
The current spin on this is that George Lucas himself wants
to come back to Lucasfilm. He purportedly blames Kennedy for both the decline
in movie sales and disarray behind the scenes. There are no direct quotes from
reliable sources confirming any of this. Both Lucas and Kennedy have some of
the most storied and interconnected careers in Hollywood. Their history of
collaboration also makes this kind of statement unlikely.
Origin Stories
Kennedy got her break in the business as an assistant writer,
first to John Milius, and then to Steven Spielberg. In previous interviews, both
Spielberg and Kennedy humorously agreed she was a terrible typist. Spielberg kept
her on as his assistant because she had such great ideas.
She and Frank Marshall joined Spielberg to co-found Amblin Entertainment
in the early 1980s. Amblin Entertainment went on to be one of the most successful
film-production houses to date. They produced mega-hits such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Gremlins, and The Goonies. Amblin Entertainment achieved critical acclaim with
titles such as The Color Purple. They
also created some of the most iconic franchises in cinematic history, including Back to the Future and Indiana Jones. More on that last one in
a bit.
Marshall and Kennedy married in 1987. In 1992, Kennedy and
her husband left Amblin Entertainment to co-found their own production house. The
Kennedy/Marshall Company began life with a deal with DreamWorks, also co-founded
by Spielberg. Kennedy continued her business relationship with Spielberg in
other ways. She was a producer on what would become a new franchise, Jurassic Park. She also served as executive
producer on Schindler's List.
Kennedy carved out her career during an era when women were rarely
seen or welcome in Hollywood executive suites as leaders. She received a
Crystal Award from the Women in Film in 1995. This award is bestowed upon women
who have not only endured and thrived in Hollywood but have helped expand the
role of women within the entertainment industry. She was awarded a Grimmy for her
efforts in promoting young talent via her work with the National Student Film. She
received many more accolades over the years, including eight Academy Awards
Nominations to date.
Star Wars fans are no strangers to George Lucas's storied
career. His directorial debut film was THX 1138 (1971). It flopped at the box
office during its initial release. The film has grown in cult and critical
status over the ensuing decades, with many noting its significance to our current
era.
Lucas started his own film company in 1971, incorporating it
as Lucasfilm Ltd, on Sept 12, 1977. The Star Wars franchise is not the
only epic series to come from Lucasfilm. The company also produced the first three
Indiana Jones films. These early films
were written by Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg. Kathleen Kennedy was aligned
as an associate and later associate producer for all three. Her work for
Indiana Jones went beyond producer duties. She even appeared in the opening
scenes of Temple of Doom as one of the dancers. Anything goes, indeed. Indiana
Jones marked the start of a collaboration between Lucas and Kennedy for the
next 40 years.
The Disney Era
As the 2010s began, Lucas was contemplating his retirement. In
2012, Lucas named Kennedy as his co-chair at Lucasfilm.
The initial contract for Kennedy at Disney was to end in 2018.
It was extended to 2021. During the Disney era, Lucasfilm released several new
Star Wars movies. Three of the films carried the Skywalker saga to its end. Stand-alone
movies set in the same universe were also released. Though the acting and
action were superb, the storylines themselves felt incomplete to many fans and
critics. They were, for the most part, considered a disappointment in content.
Even with all of this criticism heaped on the movies, all
three core Skywalker saga films still garnered well over $1 billion at the box
office worldwide. The profit story was not the same for the two live-action
stand-alone films. Only Rogue One was considered a success while the movie Solo barely broke
even.
Lucas was concerned, like everyone else, about this potential
downward trend of his beloved franchise. He likely holds Kennedy responsible. He
also knows that Kennedy holds herself responsible and accountable too. After
all, she is an executive leader with 40 plus years of experience. Every success
and failure of Lucasfilm rests on her shoulders.
Many point to some of the last-minute production and
directorial changes on several movies as signs of an internal power struggle or
worse. However, that can happen for several reasons. None of which are because an
executive leader is histrionic as has been implied. Kennedy's contract has the option of renewal in 2021. She may be asked to stay on to fix the issues within
Lucasfilm or she may choose, at that time, to step down and pursue her own
passion projects. She has certainly earned that right.
To imply that Lucas wants her out shows how little the rumor
mill understands and respects their four-decade collaboration and friendship. Lucas
trusts Kennedy as a competent Hollywood leader. Instead, he will very likely
give her the support she needs to right the Lucasfilm ship.
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