Kathleen Kennedy feels relief after leaving Lucasfilm: Star Wars, Solo and unreleased projects
Kathleen Kennedy is said to feel relieved after leaving Lucasfilm, reflecting on 14 years of Star Wars, the sequel trilogy and cancelled projects.
The source points to both major successes and clear setbacks, including the sequel trilogy, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and several Star Wars projects that never made it to release.
What happened
In the provided source, Kathleen Kennedy responds to her departure from Lucasfilm by saying she feels “a bit of relief.” The article places that reaction in the context of her long tenure at the company, but the supplied text does not give an exact date for her exit.
The source says Kennedy took over leadership of Lucasfilm from George Lucas in 2002. That was followed by Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012, after which new Star Wars films and Disney+ series were developed under her oversight.
The article cites The Mandalorian and Andor as examples of productions that were well received. At the same time, it points to the mixed reception of the sequel trilogy, which the source says still brought in billions of dollars despite criticism.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is also mentioned as a commercial disappointment. The source notes the replacement of Phil Lord and Chris Miller during production. It also says Gareth Edwards was replaced for Rogue One reshoots and that Colin Trevorrow was replaced during the development of Episode 9.
Timeline
2002: according to the source, Kathleen Kennedy takes over leadership of Lucasfilm from George Lucas.
2012: Lucasfilm is sold to Disney.
2015-2019: the sequel trilogy is released and reportedly earns billions of dollars.
2016: Solo: A Star Wars Story undergoes a directorial change, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller replaced during production.
2019-2023: The Mandalorian and Andor are cited by the source as successful or critically praised Disney+ series.
Background
The source frames Kennedy’s time at Lucasfilm as a turbulent leadership period with both major commercial wins and productions that came under pressure. Alongside the released films and series, the article also mentions projects that were discussed but never realized.
These include The Hunt for Ben Solo, a trilogy from D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, a trilogy from Rian Johnson, and a Knights of the Old Republic project. The supplied text does not explain why those plans fell through.