Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Shares Smart New Direction for STAR WARS Movies — GeekTyrant
While there have been reports of Kathleen Kennedy being replaced at Lucasfilm as some point, right now she is still in charge of all things Star Wars and she has a new plan for the future of the franchise.
Appearing at the BFI Film on Film Festival in London, Kennedy introduced a rare theatrical print of A New Hope and offered insight into the evolving strategy for the Star Wars film universe.
For fans tired of franchise fatigue and forced interconnectivity, her comments might feel like a breath of fresh Tatooine air. She shared:
'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 that's been done in Star Wars ; it can actually be a standalone story that then builds into many many other stories.'
That's a big shift. For a franchise known for its dense lore and rigid continuity, Kennedy is now embracing something more open-ended—stories with personal vision, not just legacy checklists.
After the lukewarm reception to Solo and the divisive Star Wars sequel trilogy, it's a strategy that might finally let creators tell cool and interesting untethered stories.
The approach seems to be playing out with filmmaker Shawn Levy ( Free Guy, Stranger Things ) and his upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter film, currently in development, and set to release in 2027. Levy shared:
'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.'
That's the kind of creative freedom fans often hope exists behind the scenes of making these movies, but we've all heard the horror stories of studio interference and mandates that need to be followed.
If Kennedy is serious about hiring filmmakers to make their movies rather than committee-driven products, it could lead to a much-needed new era for Star Wars in theaters.
To help maintain the spirit of Star Wars , Kennedy still insists on one non-negotiable… every filmmaker must study A New Hope . She calls it 'the gold standard' for story and character.
'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.'
It's been nearly six years since a Star Wars film hit theaters, and while Disney+ has kept the franchise alive, many fans have been wondering when and how the cinematic side of the galaxy would return. Now we have our answer, and it sounds more filmmaker-driven and story-first than ever before.
Next summer brings The Mandalorian & Grogu to theaters, with Starfighter following in 2027. I actually like this new strategy, and I hope that Lucasfilm can actually pull it off!
Via: Variety
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
AWGE Spring 2026: Clothes Maketh What You Make Of Them
Within the fashion realm, the black vans circling around the church where A$AP Rocky's spring AWGE show was held spelled the arrival of A-lister guests. But in the broader global landscape, one couldn't help think of ICE raids and protests, an impression the masked protesters and armed forces in flak vests facing off outside the venue did nothing to dispel. More from WWD A$AP Rocky Debuted New Puma Sneaker Collaborations in Paris With Support From Rihanna The Originals: Yohji Yamamoto Takashi Murakami and Readymade's Yuta Hosokawa Team on Capsule Collection The stage seemed set for a riot, and they got one – Riot Mayers in the arms of mom Rihanna. In their wake, the crowd moved inside with all the resigned weariness of travelers passing between the hands of the TSA and through security gates. Eventually, Rocky had guests – who included fellow musicians A$AP Nast, Miguel – nodding in their seats to the sound of a new track rumored to be from his hotly anticipated 'Don't Be Dumb' album. For AWGE's sophomore coed collection, titled 'Obligatory Clothing,' the rapper-turned-designer zeroed in on archetypes that went from suit-wearing lawyers and paramedics to youths in hair curlers and XXL streetwear, a glamourpuss wearing a trench over a micro-miniskirt and louche types in satin playing card prints – what you think they do for a living is on you. 'For me, this whole 'Obligatory Fashion' statement was just [about] how you take the simple uniform or the purpose of a uniform, and how people correlate that to profession, lifestyle and everything,' Rocky said after the show. By the time the hammer fell in the 'City Court of AWGE,' as one print indicated, the verdict was: if sharp tailoring is a crime, the brand is guilty as charged. Here, he continued to refine the ideas introduced in his first effort, and served his purpose of skewing perception. Suit jackets looked classic from the front and were backless; tailored trousers were split into a skirt; shirts turned into crisp halter tops; sagging trousers had six waistbands – half boxer shorts, half denim ones. Elsewhere, his eye for tweaking proportions just so came through strongly, as evidenced by a workwear suit cut oversized which felt dressed up under the combined influence of cropped trousers and red-soled patent Mary-Janes. It was the kind of detail that made his designs stand up to sartorial scrutiny. There were plenty of accessories to further mix things up, like paper bags with a flower peeking from the glass bottle inside, which brought Banksy's famous Flower Thrower mural to mind. The musical artist's collaborations were also represented. Eyewear and clutches shaped like XXL cases nodded to his role as creative director of Ray-Ban. Feet were clad in the upcoming Puma Mostro Gabbia and a distressed iteration on the Speedcat model. Those Mary-Janes and stilettos were from Christian Louboutin and came with bedazzled charms made by jewelry label Pavē Niteō, which is under the A$AP Rocky Ventures, Inc. umbrella. Pointed commentary on recent and current events as well as his own experiences was palpable but delivered with a light touch. 'I'm gonna put all of these things into my fashion to tell my story without having it to be so like 'look, I'm controversial and political,'' he said. 'I'm just showing you the way I see it in little nifty ways.' Just as pointed is his retail strategy. After available exclusively on the brand's website for its debut, the brand will now be opening to wholesale accounts. But don't expect to see AWGE on every major retail floor. 'I want to start off very niche…small, limited and exclusive,' Rocky said. 'There's no way to do that in an environment that's oversaturated with new brands, old brands.' Plus, 'there's just a lot going on in the global economy – it's f–ed, pardon my French, for lack of better words,' he continued. 'And I think I have a particular customer, and I want to target that customer [who] loves, grieves and agrees with everything that I like, my taste, my values, my lifestyle, my past, my conflictions and my story.' And that customer may get their hands on the goods sooner than they think: the brand announced it was holding a sample sale in Paris on Sunday and Monday. Launch Gallery: AWGE A$AP Rocky Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection Best of WWD Windowsen RTW Spring 2022 Louis Shengtao Chen RTW Spring 2022 Vegan Fashion Week Returns to L.A. With Nous Etudions, Vegan Tiger on the Runway
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Who Legend Pete Townshend Says Zak Starkey's Exit From Band Has 'Been a Mess'
Pete Townshend admitted he's unsure exactly why Zak Starkey was fired from The Who. More than two months after the drummer parted ways with the legendary British band, Townshend told iPaper, 'It's been a mess.' The trouble with Starkey, the son of Beatles legend Ringo Starr who joined The Who's live lineup 1996, came after a show at London's Royal Albert Hall in March after lead singer Roger Daltrey reportedly had issues with his playing. But Townshend told the outlet that he personally didn't see 'anything wrong.' 'I think Roger just got lost,' he added. 'I have to be careful what I say about Roger because he gets angry if I say anything about him at all. He'll be sacking me next. But that's not to say that he sacked Zak. It's a decision Roger and I tried to make together, but it kind of got out of hand.' Daltrey initially claimed Starkey, 59, 'retired' from The Who to work on a project with his band Mantra Of The Cosmos, Billboard reported. He was rehired for a few days, then another exit was announced. In May, Starkey set the record straight on what went down with the Who via a fiery Instagram post. "I was fired,' he wrote. 'Roger's new word for it is 'retired' to complete my other musical projects… So this is simply a load of bollox … Am I fired, retired, deffo not tired as I'm 20 years younger than these guys as they keep saying.' In June, Starkey told Rolling Stone he continues to receive mixed messages from The Who. The drummer noted he heard from Daltrey ahead of the band's tour dates in Italy next month. 'I spoke to Roger last week,' Starkey revealed in the interview. 'He said, 'Don't take your drums out of the warehouse, we might be calling you.' What the f---? These guys are f---in' insane! I've been fired more times than Keith Moon in ten days.'The Who Legend Pete Townshend Says Zak Starkey's Exit From Band Has 'Been a Mess' first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 23, 2025
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Zak Starkey Has Strong Advice For Replacement Drummer
Recently, the son of Ringo Starr, Zak Starkey, found himself out of a job when The Who ousted him from the band. But, The Who is not the only mega-famous band that Starkey has been a part of. From 2005 to 2008, Starkey was the touring drummer for Oasis. And, although you'd think that getting fired from The Who could send Starkey back to Oasis, the truth is he won't be returning to that band either, mostly for timing reasons. However, he does have some advice for the newest Oasis drummer, Joey Waronker. "The thing about groups that you love – like The Who or Oasis – is that it's not a job," Starkey told NME in a new interview. "It's about protecting music." To that point, about protecting the music, Starkey says the key to being a good Oasis drummer is simple. "Make sure you get the tempos right. Then boys know." Starkey might not be touring with Oasis anytime soon again, but he is, kind of, already in a supergroup with two Oasis members. Mantra Of The Cosmos consists of Shaun Ryder, Bez of The Happy Mondays, as well as Andy Bell, of Oasis. And the most recent song, "Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)," features Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher According to Starkey, when Gallagher heard the new song, he said: "'This is the maddest thing I've ever heard,' and that's a compliment!" You can listen to the over-the-top song yourself on Spotify or below. View the to see embedded media. Zak Starkey Has Strong Advice For Replacement Drummer first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 26, 2025
