‘Star Wars’ Fans Rejoice as Lucasfilm Reportedly Fires Controversial Executive

After “Kathleen Kennedy fired” began trending on Twitter this week, speculation has run rampant in the Star Wars community about the controversial studio president being sacked from Lucasfilm. But do these rumors have any validity, or is this just wishful thinking from certain members of a highly-divided fanbase?

After the Walt Disney Company acquired Lucasfilm for a mind-boggling $4.05 billion back in 2012, their first move was to appoint the legendary brand a new president: one with the experience and personal connections to George Lucas, to help drive the company to success.

Enter Kathleen Kennedy, a somewhat controversial figure in the Star Wars fandom handpicked for the role by George Lucas himself with an unarguably impressive resume. Over her decades-long career in Hollywood, she’s produced iconic films such as The Goonies (1985), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), and more recently, the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.

But despite her noteworthy producing credits, Kennedy has become a touchy subject for many fans due to Disney’s much-debated treatment of Lucasfilm’s existing IPs, specifically, Indiana Jones and Star Wars. The Lucasfilm president has become the target of audiences’ pointed criticisms, with many disgruntled fans blaming her for the “destruction” of legacy Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in the Sequel Trilogy, on top of her so-called “woke” approach to both franchises.

Although J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) helped reignite interest in a dying franchise post-Disney buyout, its follow-up film, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017), tore the fandom apart, causing many to lose trust in the Disney’s Sequel Trilogy and, moreover, Kathleen Kennedy.

In terms of her goals as president, Kennedy has long advocated for hiring more women to create projects at Lucasfilm. However, few have yet to see the light of day. Famously, Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins was tapped to direct a Star Wars spinoff titled Rogue Squadron all the way back in 2020 as part of Disney’s Investors Day, though it’s since been shelved with little to no updates on its production.

Kennedy’s “the Force is female” mentality has led fans to accuse her of pushing a political agenda instead of releasing content that stays true to George Lucas’ legacy. As a result, fans have long rallied for The Mandalorian and Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni to step into the role, with many continuing to call for Kennedy’s replacement.

However, things seem to be changing for the better with the galaxy far, far away’s slate of upcoming releases, however. For one, Academy Award-winning documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has been confirmed as the director of the Star Wars New Jedi Order movie, which will see the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey. Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte is also set to arrive on Disney+ next year, featuring a mostly-female cast. And with Dave Filoni’s “Mando-Verse” crossover movie expected to premiere in 2026 or 2027, Star Wars’ return to cinemas could be just the thing to save the company’s crumbling reputation.

But even though things might be looking up for Lucasfilm and its president, the company might be in trouble financially. Its latest release, James Mangold’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) has yet to break even on its reported budget of $295 million since premiering on June 30. On top of its abysmal box office performance, Harrison Ford’s final go-around as the titular adventurer has been slammed with lackluster reviews from critics, pointing to trouble ahead for one of Lucasfilm’s biggest IPs.

And it looks like Dial of Destiny‘s massive box office bomb might’ve just been the last straw. Rumors on the internet have suggested that with Kennedy’s contract at Lucasfilm expiring in 2024, she may be relieved from her responsibilities early, as Disney execs can’t afford to tolerate Indiana Jones 5 failing so severely amid an already bleak Star Wars franchise.

Recently, “Kathleen Kennedy fired” trended on Twitter after a post from @ThwipT_ made its rounds across the Star Wars community, though they neglected to provide additional information. The only source behind this rumor seems to be screenwriter Kamran Pasha, who claimed that his insider source at Disney reported unusual happenings involving Kennedy going on behind the scenes at Lucasfilm.

I’m hearing Kathleen Kennedy is now gone from Lucasfilm #Lucasfilm #StarWars #IndianaJones

— ThwipT (@ThwipT_) June 29, 2023

It’s important to remember that Kennedy’s days as Lucasfilm’s President were already numbered, as her contract technically expired in 2021. However, she had it extended for 3 years to oversee more projects like Obi-Wan Kenobi and, presumably, the three confirmed Star Wars movies. Based on her appearance at April’s Star Wars Celebration Europe, it looks like Kennedy is more involved with the franchise than ever.

But according to a new development, Kennedy may have been locked out of her business email and given two weeks paid leave so that the higher-ups at Disney could figure out how to tackle Lucasfilm’s declining success. Rumors suggest that Disney is breaking its infamous “no-interference” rule, as several insiders have reportedly seen Disney execs storming the Lucasfilm office amid whispers of Kennedy’s firing.

However, all this fuss could easily be chalked up to routine going-ons. Kennedy could also be taking time off with her family, with other execs filling in during her absence. It seems like most of these rumors have little to no credibility to them, and currently, it appears that Kennedy is still working at Lucasfilm. The company hasn’t announced that she has been “fired” from her position, and until then, it seems like this is just unsupported internet gossip.

What do you think of this rumor surrounding Kathleen Kennedy’s position at Lucasfilm? Do you think the company needs new leadership? Let us know in the comments below.