Kathleen Kennedy’s departure from Lucasfilm had been predicted so many times over the last several years that it was probably a forgone conclusion that it would come to pass. That day happened in January when it was confirmed that Kennedy was stepping down, with Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan replacing her as co-presidents. While transitions at the top can cause some amount of upheaval within an organization, Kennedy says the transition has been “seamless,” and she explained why.

While Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan may have only recently taken the reins at Lucasfilm, Kennedy tells Variety she’s been working with both of them and mentoring them for years. Based on her comments, It sounds like she’s been preparing both co-presidents to take on these roles for quite some time. Kennedy said…

What's particularly interesting is that Kennedy says she’s the one who's pushed Filoni specifically to move into live-action work. That's in great part due to his knowledge and love of Star Wars.

It will take time to see what Lucasfilm looks like under Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan's leadership, and it likely won’t be a carbon copy of the Kennedy years. Despite that, it's easy to imagine that working so closely with Kennedy for so many years taught both of the new co-presidents a great deal about how to lead the organization.

In the past, Filoni has talked about how much he's learned from Kennedy. George Lucas handpicked Kennedy to run Lucasfilm after his departure (and he also forged a strong bond with Filoni as they crafted Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Kennedy’s track record as a producer is unparalleled. In this case, she believes she’s produced two people perfectly capable of taking over.

The decision to bring in two people as co-presidents shows that replacing Kathleen Kennedy is no small task. It would appear that the powers that be felt that the responsibilities involved were diverse enough that one person wouldn’t be able to do the job justice alone. Lucasfilm’s parent company, Disney, recently found itself in a similar situation. While Josh D’Amaro was named CEO, Disney Studios co-head Dana Walden was also promoted to President and the newly created position of Chief Creative Officer.

Many took issue with Kathleen Kennedy’s tenure at Lucasfilm and celebrated her departure. If the production company does “improve” under the new leads, that will certainly be a good thing, but those happy fans may still need to thank Kennedy, at least a little.

When it comes to upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, the future is more unknown than ever. Last month, Kathleen Kennedy stepped down from her role as Lucasfilm president, and Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan stepped in as co-presidents. But could the change in the air mean Rogue Squadron is back on the table?

Following the end of the Star Wars sequel trilogy in late 2019, Lucasfilm announced a movie called Rogue Squadron from Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. The movie was then reportedly put on hold due to “creative differences” about a year later. Under the new leadership, is it a priority again? Here’s what Rogue Squadron screenwriter Matthew Robinson had to say:

Robinson (of The Invention of Lying, Dora and the Lost City of Gold and Love and Monsters) penned the script for Rogue Squadron before ultimately moving on to his latest movie, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die. During an interview with Polygon, he shared not knowing about the state of Rogue Squadron, especially after the big transitions currently happening at Lucasfilm. He also had this to say:

Now, back in 2024, Patty Jenkins said she was working on the script again (via Variety) following her plans for Wonder Woman 3 falling apart due to DC’s own changing of the guard with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over the helm. That being said, we haven’t heard much else about it since then.

Currently, Lucasfilm is getting ready to release its first big-screen Star Wars movie since 2019 with The Mandalorian and Grogu among 2026 movie releases before the Ryan Gosling-led original Star Wars: Starfighter comes out the following summer. There’s also a movie led by Daisy Ridley’s Rey that has been announced, but it has not yet entered production.

Outside of that, there’s been a lot of talk about various directors who are working on a Star Wars movie (like Taika Waititi, Simon Kinberg and James Mangold) in this new and mysterious upcoming era for the franchise, but we’ve yet to have more concrete announcements. Matthew Robinson’s comments make us more curious about what the Rogue Squadron script is all about and if it’ll ever see the light of day.

You can check out Matthew Robinson’s new movie Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die in theaters on February 13, and the next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22.

This has been a big week for the Star Wars franchise, to say the least. Days ago, Kathleen Kennedy announced she would step down as president of Lucasfilm and hand the reins over to Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. As a new chapter for the production company begins, Kennedy is speaking about her experiences. With that, she made some comments about Rian Johnson’s stint working within the galaxy far, far away, and he's has since responded.

Kathleen Kennedy Makes Claims About Why Rian Johnson Only Made One Star Wars Movie

Let’s start with Kennedy’s comments. The producer, who became president of Lucasfilm since 2012 after George Lucas sold the company to Walt Disney Studios, recently reflected on her time in the position. She discussed the highs and lows of the job while speaking with Deadline. When specifically asked about the films Rian Johnson was reportedly set to helm following 2017's The Last Jedi, Kennedy said the following:

Kennedy responded by suggesting that one reason Johnson didn't return to helm his other films was due to him being "spooked" by the negative reactions that The Last Jedi received by people online. Upon its release, the film (which made $1.3 million at the worldwide box office, as noted by Deadline) received positive reviews from critics, though there were fans who were dissatisfied with it for a myriad of reasons. Even today, there are those who continue to express their grievances.

That's not the only reason Kennedy attributes to Johnson not directing further SW films either. She also points out that another factor was the writer/director's desire to focus his energy towards the Knives Out movies starting in 2018.

How Rian Johnson Responded To Kennedy’s Comments

Rian Johnson eventually caught wind of Kathleen Kennedy’s comments. With that, he took to X, where he reposted an article covering Kennedy's quotes and shared his take. In his words (which have had punctuation added to them):

Well, there you have it, two conflicting sets thoughts here on why there’s only Rian Johnson-helmed Star Wars movie thus far. Although Johnson's response is brief, it seems he doesn't agree with the notion that it was negative fan energy that turned him away from the massive IP. The question still remains, though: would Johnson direct another one of those films?

In the summer of 2025, Johnson was asked about whether he’d return to Star Wars. He admitted that he’d kicked around ideas with Kathleen Kennedy after The Last Jedi but that he'd ultimately been “busy making murder mysteries” since his 2017 sci-fi film. Still, Johnson also shared that he “would be thrilled” to do something else Star Wars “down the line” should the opportunity present itself, but he’s currently rather happy doing his “own stuff.”

Fear not, though, fans, as there are upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows are on the way. The Mandalorian & Grogu will mark the franchise's first big-screen release since 2019’s Rise Of Skywalker. Also, the Ryan Gosling-led film Star Wars: Starfighter is set to be released in the summer of 2027. It goes without saying that this is a busy time for Lucasfilm and, with projects in the works and a new leadership team in place, only time will tell if Rian Johnson ends up returning to the fold!

In 2023, 15 years after Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull polarized audiences, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was released to give Harrison Ford’s popular character a conclusive ending. However, in addition to being met with more mixed critical reception, the fifth and final Indiana Jones movie bombed at the box office, making only $384 million worldwide. And yet, looking back, exiting Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy doesn’t have any regrets about making The Dial of Destiny.

Kennedy explained her thought process about this while speaking with Deadline following the news of her exiting Lucasfilm after 14 years. After covering topics like her extensive producing career and upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, including whether next year’s Starfighter could get a sequel, Kennedy had this to say when the interviewer mused that “Harrison Ford stayed a little too long at the dance” with playing Dr. Henry Jones Jr.:

As I already mentioned, it’s not as though Indiana Jones 5 earned overwhelmingly negative reactions. For example, CinemaBlend’s Dial of Destiny review rated it 4 out of 5 stars, with our own Sarah El-Mahmoud saying the movie “feels most like an ode to the franchise and sweet fanfare” for Indy after The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull disappointed so many fans. And yet, The Dial of Destiny ended up experiencing a similar fate, though if you were one of its detractors, I recommend giving the movie another shot by streaming it with your Disney+ subscription.

Regardless, from Kathleen Kennedys perspective, it was all worth it in order to give Harrison Ford proper closure with this character he’d been playing since 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Now that the actor’s time as the fedora-wearing, whip-wielding archaeologist is over, she also believes that the franchise will go on an indefinite hiatus. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s right, especially since the last attempt at having a new actor play a younger version of a beloved Harrison Ford character, i.e. Alden Ehrenreich in Solo: A Star Wars Story, didn’t go well either.

At this point, I think the best bet would be to reboot the Indiana Jones franchise from scratch and leave the original continuity behind. That said, it’s probably for the best the franchise is given another extended break so that a new generation can eventually reinvigorate it. The important takeaway is that The Dial of Destiny closed the book on Harrison Ford’s tenure as Indy, and while its theatrical performance left a lot to be desired, Kathleen Kennedy is glad Lucasfilm poured the resources into making it.

It’s been rumored for some time that Kathleen Kennedy was on the verge of leaving as the President of Lucasfilm, and this week that rumor became a reality when Kennedy's retirement was officially announced. Despite the occasional controversy, it’s hard to say she doesn’t leave her post a resounding success, with movies that have grossed over $5 billion at the global box office, plus launching the franchise’s first live-action television shows.

It’s a job so impressive that, apparently, the feeling was that no single person could take it over. Instead of a single new President, the decision was made to promote co-presidents, with Dave Filoni also continuing as the company’s Chief Creative Officer, and Lynwen Brennan handling the business side of things as Co-President. It’s a model that has worked well so far for DC Films, and it’s one I hope the Disney committee currently undertaking a search for a new CEO takes note of.

Lucasfilm Went With Two New Leaders, And So Should Disney

Bob Iger is set to step down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company (again) at the end of 2026. We’ve been promised his replacement will be named early this year, which is to say, literally any time now. While the studio has reportedly been looking both inside and outside of the company for a replacement, two names have risen to the top. Disney Experiences chief Josh D’Amaro and Disney Studios co-head Dana Walden.

By all reports, it is a two-person race between these two. Walden has the creative relationships in Hollywood, an area that Disney’s last attempt at a new CEO, Bob Chapek, was found lacking. D’Amaro runs the side of the business that, between theme parks and consumer products, basically prints money. Each candidate has strengths, and each has weaknesses.

So, here’s a (not entirely) radical idea: as the meme says, why not both? There’s nothing saying Disney can’t have co-CEOs. While it’s uncommon, some companies have done it. Barring that, elevating one of the pair to CEO and the other to another executive title, like President, would put the two working together, each playing to their strengths, putting Disney on the best path forward.

It would work, and the reason I know it would work at Disney is that it’s happened before.

Disney’s Most Successful Times Came When Two People Were In Charge

While Disney has never had two CEOs before, it has had two people at the top of the company, and that was the case at the very beginning. Before it was The Walt Disney Company, the company was founded as the Disney Bros. Studio, and there were two Disneys, Walt and his brother Roy.

Walt was the creative genius who spearheaded crazy ideas like the first cel animated feature film and even crazier ideas like Disneyland. Roy figured out how in the world to pay for them all. There’s no argument that the style worked. Disney became a force in the entertainment industry.

It happened again in the mid-1980s when Disney brought in its first, and thus far only, CEO from outside the company, Michael Eisner. At the same time, it hired Frank Wells as President. The duo was often compared to Walt and Roy, with Eisner the creative mind and Wells the more business-focused executive.

Wells tragically passed away in 1994 at age 62, and he was never adequately replaced. One has to wonder if some of the decisions that Disney made in the late ’90s and early 2000s that didn’t work out would have happened quite the same way if there had been somebody working alongside Eisner.

D'Amaro and Walden are both great talents, and the company needs to keep them both. It's not uncommon for anybody passed over in a CEO hunt to go looking for greener pastures. Disney needs to prevent that here. Promoting both of them is how to make sure you don't lose one of them.

Either Josh D’Amaro or Dana Walden would likely make for great CEOs, but neither one of them is going to be great at everything. Together, however, they may be able to truly do it all. If one studio inside Disney realizes that two heads are better than one, then surely the company founded by two brothers will realize that too, right?

There are major movie franchises, and then there's Star Wars. Generations are brought up on the galaxy far, far away, which is currently streaming with a Disney+ subscription. There are some exciting upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows coming up, including Shawn Levy's standalone movie Starfighter. But could it end up getting a sequel? Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy offered her perspective on that possibility.

Back in August, we got our first look at Ryan Gosling in Starfighter, and Star Wars fans are curious about any information about what director Shawn Levy has up his sleeve. While Starfighter was billed as a standalone film, there are still questions about whether or not it could grow into a full franchise. In a conversation with Deadline about all things Star Wars, Kennedy addressed this, saying:

It looks like we're finally going back to standalone Star Wars movies. While Lucasfilm experimented with this concept via Rogue One and Solo, the latter's box office bomb seemed to have discouraged the studio. But with the Skywalker Saga in the rear view, it sounds like now is the time to bring these types of projects back to theaters with both Starfighter and The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Later in the same interview, Kathleen Kennedy went on to double down on Starfighter remaining a standalone film, rather than kickstarting a new Star Wars franchise. In her words:

In these comments, Kennedy is referencing Ryan Gosling's young co-star Flynn Gray, whom she speaks highly of and thinks will be a big star one day. It should be interesting to see their chemistry in Starfighter, as well as how they interact with established actors like Amy Adams, Mia Goth, and Matt Smith.

It's a wild time for the Star Wars franchise as a whole, which has been missing from theaters since we saw The Rise of Skywalker's ending. While the universe has continued to expand on the small screen, fans are eager for it to finally return to theaters.

Star Wars: Starfighter is currently expected to arrive in theaters on May 28th, 2027. Since it's not on the 2026 movie release list, we might have to be patient before seeing any footage from the blockbuster.

When George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, longtime Hollywood producer Kathleen Kennedy took over running the studio. From there, she guided the franchise set in a galaxy far, far away into new territory under the Mouse House’s umbrella, delivering both new movies and expanding Star Wars’ TV reach with both animated and live-action programming, among other media projects. Now it’s been officially announced that Kennedy is stepping down from Lucasfilm after 14 years, and her position will be filled by two people, one of whom is quite familiar to hardcore Star Wars fans.

Coming straight from Disney and Lucasfilm, Dave Filoni, who’s been a key figure in the Star Wars franchise stretching back to The Clone Wars, has been tapped to serve as Lucasfilm’s President and Chief Creative Officer, while Lynwen Brennan will serve as Co-President. As the official announcement states, Filoni’s duties will see him “take on creative leadership of the company,” leaving Brennan to handle the more business-y aspects. And while she’s no longer running Lucasfilm. Meanwhile, Kennedy will move back to being a full-time producer, which includes being involved on the upcoming Star Wars movies The Mandalorian & Grogu and Starfighter.

There have been rumors about Kathleen Kennedy’s retirement for years, but now it’s a done deal. Dave Filoni’s promotion should come as no surprise to anyone who’s familiar with his work. He’s played been an integral role in shaping the Star Wars mythology for two decades, particularly on the TV side of things. This ranges from creating Ahsoka Tano for The Clones Wars to writing, directing and executive producing The Mandalorian, Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett. He’s also cameoed in several episodes of The Mandalorian as New Republic pilot Trapper Wolf.

Lynwen Brennan has also been part of Lucasfilm for a long time, as she started working for Industrial Light & Magic in 1999, the year The Phantom Menace came out. 10 years later, she was tapped to run ILM, and from there, she became the General Manager of Lucasfilm in 2015, then its President & General Manager in 2024. In Variety’s writeup of today’s news, the articles muses that having Filoni and Brennan run Lucasfilm together “suggests that Disney felt the need to pair a strong filmmaking force with someone with a firm sense of budgets and balance sheets.”

This move echoes how James Gunn and Peter Safran were hired to lead DC Studios together a few years ago for similar reasoning. As stated in the headline, this is a major shakeup for Lucasfilm, and it’ll be interesting to see how Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan guide the Star Wars franchise and if it any way starts heavily deviating from what was being done during Kathleen Kennedy’s tenure. For now, we can look forward to The Mandalorian & Grogu arriving to the 2026 movies schedule on May 22, and Ahsoka Season 2 will also premiere sometime this year.

Earlier this week, it was rumored that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy would leave the production company by the end of the year. Well, Kennedy, who succeeded George Lucas as head of the company following the Disney acquisition in 2012, has now responded directly to these retirement rumors. While it’s great to have clarification on this matter, I’m frankly more pleased about the updates she provided on some of the upcoming Star Wars movies.

Kathleen Kennedy’s Response To The Retirement Rumors

In an exclusive interview with Deadline, Kennedy set the record straight by saying that retirement is in no way on the horizon for her. In her words:

Ok, at least that’s been cleared up. Kathleen Kennedy, who scored her first film credit as a producer on E.T., will not be leaving the world of filmmaking. However, she did say that she’s been talking with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, about a succession plan for Lucasfilm down the line. As she put it:

This makes sense, as eventually there will come a time when new leadership is required and someone will replace Kennedy. For now though, she’s staying firmly entrenched in the world of Star Wars, adding:

Once that business was out of the way, Kathleen Kennedy also shared some updates on some of the Star Wars movies in the works, and it’s most welcome to learn how their progress is coming along.

Where Things Stand On The Star Wars Movies Front

As Kathleen Kennedy mentioned, next up on the Star Wars movies in order front is The Mandalorian & Grogu’s May 2026 release, which will be a theatrical movie rather than a Disney+ subscription exclusive like The Mandalorian series. During the interview though, Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. first inquired about the trilogy of Star Wars movies that Simon Kinberg is writing and producing. Here’s what Kennedy had to say about that:

The executive added this trilogy will be “the next iteration, the new saga that moves us into the future.” Then, as mentioned by Kennedy earlier, there’s Shawn Levy’s mysterious Star Wars movie, which will reportedly star Ryan Gosling and come out after The Mandalorian & Grogu. She stated that Levy’s movie will also be set post-The Rise of Skywalker, “maybe five or six years out.”

Finally, there’s James Mangold’s Star Wars movie that’s set roughly 25,000 years before the events of A New Hope and explore the origins of the Force. When Kathleen Kennedy asked if that project is still happening, she answered:

Of course, these are just a few of the Star Wars movies in development. Among the others are Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy-directed movie bringing back Daisy Ridley’s Rey, Dave Filoni’s New Republic movie and Taika Waititi’s untitled movie (Kathleen Kennedy admitted that the Thor: Ragnarok filmmaker’s been busy lately and still hasn’t turned in a script). Whether all those will get made remains to be seen, but per Kennedy, there’s enough cinematic entertainment set in a galaxy far, far away that’s progressing nicely.

The Mandalorian & Grogu will break the Star Wars movies dry spell when it’s released on May 26, 2026. But arriving much sooner than that is Andor Season 2, which premieres April 22 on Disney+.

It’s difficult to argue that the Star Wars franchise under Disney has had something of a difficult road. The sequel trilogy was met with mixed reviews, but it was an unqualified box office hit, with each movie making over a billion dollars at the global box office. The Force Awakens is still the highest-grossing domestic movie ever, ahead of even Avengers: Endgame.

But, since the release of those films, the franchise has had a tough time. As the head of the studio, Kathleen Kennedy has been the one to get the brunt of the criticism. While all indications have been that Disney has had no problems with her performance, many fans have. Now, those fans are about to be very happy if a new Lucasfilm rumor is true.

Kathleen Kennedy May Be Leaving Lucasfilm

A new report from Puck claims that Kathleen Kennedy has told people within her inner circle that she plans to leave Lucasfilm at the end of this year. No public statement has been made, so this is officially still a rumor, but Puck claims to have multiple sources confirming the departure.

It’s difficult to argue that the George Lucas-birthed IP hasn’t had its struggles. Multiple Star Wars movies that have been announced over the last several years have failed to materialize. As a result, fans haven't seen a film entry from the franchise hit movie theaters in six years, which is clearly not part of some grand intentional design. There have absolutely been some problems at the Disney-owned company.

As the head of Lucasfilm, Kennedy is ultimately responsible for the franchise, the good and the bad. For those fans who have been actively calling for her to step down, and actively harassing any women involved in Star Wars, for years, this will certainly be seen as good news. But I just can't get that excited.

Kathleen Kennedy Leaving Lucasfilm May Make Star Wars Far More Boring

With Kennedy allegedly stepping down, the big question will become who will replace her. The most obvious choice is Dave Filoni, who already has a chief creative role at Lucasfilm. He’s also very popular with the SW fanbase, and about the most boring choice that could be made.

While I’ve enjoyed Filoni’s contributions to Star Wars too, they have mostly seemed to rely on fan service. Easter eggs are fun, but they’re not enough to sustain a franchise. Yet, they are the things that get fans excited, so that stuff has only continued to grow. Making this new chapter in the franchise exciting by referencing older, better movies isn't a long-term solution.

The two most recent additions to the world of Star Wars, The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew, were projects I found far more interesting than Ahsoka or the recent seasons of The Mandalorian . That's because the shows (which are streamable with a Disney+ subscription) expanded the concept of what Star Wars as a franchise was.

Losing Kathleen Kennedy doesn’t mean that fans won’t see more interesting and creative ideas, but retreating back to the safe ground and just pumping out movies and series full of references to earlier trilogies is just not interesting. It is, however, what Disney does when it's out of ideas.

Kathleen Kennedy is one of the most accomplished producers in the history of Hollywood. With Star Wars and more, she’s shown how good she is and she’s certainly earned her retirement. If she is leaving, I wish her the best. As for whoever takes over, I hope they'll learn a few things from her.

It’s been over three years since Lucasfilm cut ties with Gina Carano due to controversial social media posts shared by the MMA fighter-turned-actress. After discussing her experiences with the Disney-owned company over the next several years, Carano filed suit against the House of Mouse in February 2024. The legal entanglement is ongoing, with both sides sharing arguments for their specific cases. Now, it would appear that the situation could take a significant turn ahead of the trial scheduled for next year. That’s because the possibility of Carano’s ex-co-star Pedro Pascal and other notable individuals testifying now seems to be on the table.

Both Gina Carano and Lucasfilm recently filed legal documents, which name a host of major players from Disney as potential witnesses who could testify in court. On the Star Wars side of this, Din Djarin actor Pedro Pascal, series creator Jon Favreau, LF president Kathleeen and publicity chief Lynnne Hale were all named. Per THR, other notable individuals on that list include former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek and TV personality Bear Gryllis, who hosted Carano for an episode of his reality series, Running Wild.

Each of the individuals mentioned in the filings had some kind of professional and/or personal connection to the ex-Cara Dune actress. Jon Favreau and Kathleen Kennedy were her employers while she starred on The Mandalorian (which has been a hit with Disney+ subscription holders). And, of course, she and the previously Djarin portrayer collaborated during the show’s first two seasons. Finally, Bob Chapek was overseeing the House of Mouse at the time of the Fast & Furious 6 alum’s dismissal.

The trade also reports that the legal documents share details regarding the points of contention in the case. One of them is whether Gina Carano was technically under contract when she was let go from the job in February 2021. There’s also the matter of whether Carano received equal treatment compared to her male co-stars when it came to her social media activities. (Carano herself once opened up about her polarizing presence on the Internet.)

As it stands, Ms. Carano is suing Disney and Lucasfilm for alleged discrimination and wrongful termination. On top of that, she’s seeking $75,000 in punitive damages and wants a court order that would force her former employers to recast her on the Star Wars show. Carano’s lawsuit is being helped along by businessman Elon Musk, who’s funding it with the help of X’s chief of business operations, Joe Benarroch. The plaintiff is arguing that she was fired for “voicing right-wing opinions on social media.” She appears to view that as a double standard due to Pascal and some of her other peers sharing left-leaning views online.

Disney fired back at the suit after it was filed, arguing that it was in the corporation’s First Amendment rights to “dissociate its own artistic message from Carano's outspoken 'political beliefs.'” Legal documents also seemed to suggest that the company felt compelled to finally cut ties with Carano after she shared a post that appeared to compare being rebuked for one’s political leanings to the persecution of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Gina Carano has opened up about the suit since it was filed and has been real about how “embarrassing” it is to be going through such a public matter with her ex-colleagues. Additionally, Carano called out the media following reports that she wanted to rejoin The Mandalorian amid the lawsuit. Whether or not any of that will come to pass remains to be seen. All that can be said right now is that Carano is currently set to receive her day in court on September 25, 2025 and, ahead of that date, it’ll be known if Pedro Pascal and others will indeed be called to testify.

There are poplar movie franchises, and then there's Star Wars. Generations grew up with the galaxy far, far way, resulting in a wildly passionate fanbase. But at times the fans have been accused of toxic behavior. Now Lucasfilm head honcho Kathleen Kennedy has addressed how women in the franchise face backlash online. 

The Star Wars franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) is always expanding, both in movies and via live-action shows. The Acolyte is in the latter category, and will explore a different part of the official timeline. While speaking with Deadline about the property, she addressed the way The Acolyte's showrunner Leslye Headland and other women have been treated online by the fandom. In her words: 

There you have it. Sounds like those working in Lucasfilm have seen very aware of the fan discourse surrounding the property. And they've taken notice that the women involved in the franchise, especially The Acolyte's showrunner, often take the brunt of the hate online. 

The conversation surrounding Star Wars fans has been happening for a few years now. Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran faced racist and sexist backlash when she debuted in The Last Jedi, resulting in her leaving social media altogether. And while the new upcoming Star Wars show hasn't debuted yet, there's already critics calling it "woke" for having women both behind and in front of the camera. 

This type of fan passion is why Star Wars has such staying power, but it can also be a bit of a double-edged sword for those making projects come together. And despite any backlash about the franchise being "woke", Kathleen Kennedy is committed to making sure that the galaxy far, far away continues to be a diverse place that reflects the real world. 

While the franchise keeps growing on the small screen, fans are eager to see Star Wars return to theaters. A new trilogy was announced by Lucasfilm, and there are also other projects in the works by Patty Jenkins and Taika Waititi. We'll just have to see how the audience reacts to each new projects, and if this online vitriol is still being aimed at the women of the franchise.

The Acolyte will arrive on Disney+ on June 4th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

In the informative history of Jurassic Park trivia, one of the most remarkable stories comes from the time that the cast and crew were unexpectedly visited by natural disaster. As the on-location shoot for one of Steven Spielberg’s contributions to the best '90s movies ever was about to wrap in summer 1992, Hurricane Iniki would arrive and have a massive impact. 

The bigger picture is a story that includes some rather interesting developments and aspects. With everything from Sir Richard Attenborough being able to sleep through the chaos, to a stunt performer risking life and limb to get weather updates, this Jurassic Universe story is further proof that life can truly find a way; especially when you throw in a chance encounter that ties Raiders of the Lost Ark to this sci-fi movie masterpiece.

CinemaBlend readers, and my dear Jurassic Park fans, welcome to the story of Hurricane Iniki.  

Hurricane Iniki: The Natural Disaster That Eerily Mirrored Jurassic Park’s Plot

Between September 5th and September 13th, 1992, Hurricane Iniki took shape in the Central Pacific region, eventually becoming a Category 4 storm. As Jurassic Park was nearing the end of its shooting schedule on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i, initial reports stated that the hurricane was projected to hit Oahu, 100 miles southeast. 

That would not be the case, as producer Kathleen Kennedy explained to author James Mottram in the book Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History. Here’s how Kennedy recalled the moment that defined the rest of the film’s shoot, from the section entitled “The Power of Iniki”: 

That knowledge is an eerie coincidence that draws a parallel to Jurassic Park’s plot. Game warden Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck) warns of a tropical storm raging “75 miles west of us” as the tour is about to begin. Hinging their hopes on the storm changing course away from Isla Nublar, John Hammond (Sir Richard Attenborough) gives Ray Arnold (Samuel L. Jackson) the go ahead to start the tour program. 

But as we know, Jurassic Park’s equivalent of an influencer preview turned into a modern fight for survival against prehistoric creatures. In the real world, however, as Sam Neill’s own Jurassic hurricane story revealed, cast and crew saw worsening conditions that posed a very real threat. 

The Chance Encounter That Helped Kathleen Kennedy Get The Jurassic Park Cast And Crew Out Of Kaua'i

Kathleen Kennedy could be considered the Ellie Sattler of Jurassic Park’s production thanks to her resourcefulness and a hell of a trek on foot. In the moments leading up to Hurricane Iniki’s impact, Kathleen Kennedy requested that Universal Pictures send a jet that would transport cast and crew off of Kaua’i and back home to California. Unfortunately, in another parallel to the Jurassic story, communications were down in this literal disaster area. 

Once Hurricane Iniki had dissipated, the producer took a ten-mile round trip run to Lihue Airport in order to check on the location’s condition. As she did this, the Jurassic crew, led by head greensman Danny Ondrejko, provided vital assistance in clearing storm debris in Kaua’i.

Kennedy would then take a Jeep back to Lihue Airport in order to talk her way onto a flight to Oahu, which would hopefully help her secure passage home for everyone. All of this travel was necessary so that the Jurassic Park producer could continue her quest, while also assuring families back home that everyone was ok. 

And this is where life imitating art took a kinder turn, thanks to a chance encounter with Hawaiian Airlines pilot, and one-time actor Fred Sorenson. You probably don’t recognize the man by name, but you’d definitely know him through his singular acting gig, shown below: 

That's right! Sorenson’s claim to fame, besides being a real-life Jurassic Park hero, was playing Jock, the pilot who saves Harrison Ford’s life in the opening sequence to Raiders of the Lost Ark. The funny thing is, Fred was an actual pilot cast at the last minute, taking him away from his gig at Hawaiian Airlines.

To be fair, Kathleen Kennedy didn’t recognize him at first either, as she recalled to authors Don Shay and Jody Duncan. Here’s how that story unfolded in their 1993 book, The Making of Jurassic Park: An Adventure 65 Million Years In The Making:

Thanks to this serendipitous meeting, Kennedy and Sorenson worked out a strategy that would not only get vital medical personnel and supplies out to Kaua’i, but would also allow Jurassic Park’s cast and crew to evacuate as a result. Through the use of a Hawaiian AIrlines DC-8 and a Universal private jet, it only took 48 hours to execute this plan. 

Of course, Fred Sorenson had a real sense of humor about his role in making this all happen. Kathleen Kennedy made that fact perfectly clear in her story for Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History, which added this fun detail: 

When all was said and done, director Steven Spielberg claimed in an interview for that same book that only a day of shooting was scrapped to Hurricane Iniki. Several days after their flight to safety, Jurassic Park would pick up its shooting schedule once more on the Universal lot. 

While not much time was lost, there was a bit of a tradeoff that took place. As the production would gain some actual footage from the hurricane's earlier phases, which was used in the film. a pretty big scene had to be scrapped because of the devastation. 

How Hurricane Iniki Wound Up In Jurassic Park, And The Big Scene It Scrapped

Telling his side of the Jurassic Park story involving Hurricane Iniki, cinematographer Dean Cundey revealed during a 2009 episode of Storm Stories that Steven Spielberg actually had a quick idea to take advantage of the storm. Before conditions forced everyone to take shelter, the E.T. director approached Cundey with the following pitch: 

If you recall the brief shots of disaster that show huge waves crashing over barriers, just before Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) is about to sabotage the park, that’s the footage that came from this crazy shoot. However, the storm giveth and the storm taketh away, as Samuel L. Jackson would eventually reveal in an interview for Jurassic Park’s 20th anniversary.

Published in the September 2013 issue of Empire, the feature “When Dinosaurs Roamed The Earth," which is currently shared on author Nick de Semlyen’s website,  a whole bunch of Jurassic history was discovered. That included the story where the MCU veteran revealed why we never saw Ray Arnold die at the claws of a Velociraptor pack. Jackson’s explanation, and his reaction to the change of plans, was the following: 

Years after that admission, Jackson continued to tell that Jurassic tale, and it’s one of the greatest “what ifs” in Jurassic Park history. Besides, of course, 'what if Jurassic Park’s original ending remained intact?' In the grand scheme, the loss is still heartbreaking, but thankfully it wasn't a deal breaker for the production's June 1993 release date. 

Also, at least Samuel L. Jackson didn't have to endure Hurricane Iniki firsthand. That was an experience that had most of Jurassic Park's cast and crew shaken, except for one notable exception. 

Sir Richard Attenborough's Curious Reaction To Hurricane Iniki

I’d like to end with one final anecdote from Sam Neill, courtesy of Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History. More specifically, I feel like it'd be a waste to not recall Sir Richard Attenborough's reaction to the events that were unfolding.

You see, while most everyone involved was rattled, and rightfully so, the person who seemed to weather the storm the best was the Gandhi director, who was cast as the park's visionary creator, John Hammond. 

Neill’s recollection of why that happened to be is a humorous button to a serious story. At the same time, it feels like a moment where actor and character come together in a comfortable chuckle, as you'll read below:

30 years later, Jurassic Park is still a marvel of blockbuster filmmaking, and if you're ready to return to Isla Nublar, you can do so with a Netflix subscription. But whenever you partake in this adventure 65 million years in the making, keep the history told above in mind. 

For all of the danger and devastation that Hurricane Iniki delivered to Kaua’i, the fact that the cast and crew made it through safely feels like a miracle. To remember that only makes the end result all the more astonishing. 

At Star Wars Celebration earlier this year, it was revealed that the canon on the big screen will soon delve into both the future and past in regards to the franchise timeline. A film centered on Daisy Ridley's Rey will be taking audiences to a time beyond the period featured in the Sequel Trilogy, while James Mangold's developing feature will be about the origins of the Jedi. Given their distinct settings, one might not think that there would be much connective tissue between them, but that won't actually be the case, according to Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. 

The executive/producer recently spoke with GamesRadar about the blockbuster announcements that were made during the Star Wars convention in London, England this past spring, and she spoke to how there is a link between director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's Rey film and the developing James Mangold movie. They may be set many, many years apart, but they are connected in a special way through their subject matter. She explained,

In the film centered on Rey, the heroine will be featured picking up the torch that was passed to her by Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker: after the fall of the First Order, she will work to train a new generation of Jedi. That story, of course, will be built on the history of the order that Rey knows about (remember that she saved the ancient Jedi texts in Star Wars: The Last Jedi), and that history begins with the tale that writer/director James Mangold will be telling in what may end up being his follow-up to Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny.

With these two projects being in-the-works at the same time, it will be fascinating to see how they end up functioning in parallel... though there may be some trickiness involved in making sure that the work doesn't feel repetitious. What should fortunately help that is the fact that Kathleen Kennedy is promising plenty of "new" in the Rey-centric feature.

Discussing what she refers to as launching the next chapter for the Star Wars franchise, Kennedy says,

Excited as fans are to see what will end up defining said next chapter of the Star Wars universe, the "when" of it all remains a bit of a mystery. We're regularly seeing new Disney+ shows from the franchise arrive on the streaming service (Ahsoka will premiere later this summer, followed by Star Wars: Skeleton Crew at some point in the fall), but no formal announcements have been made regarding big screen release dates. In addition to the Rey movie and the Jedi origins film not having set distribution plans, the same is also true for the project currently being developed by canon maestro Dave Filoni (who has previously teased his vision with a tip of the hat to Revenge Of The Sith).

You can keep track of all of the projects now in the works from the franchise – including those both for Disney+ and cinemas – by checking out our Upcoming Star Wars Movies and TV guide. And for those wanting to read about the canon's big screen past, you can read our Star Wars movies ranking.

From a movie point of view, Star Wars has been in a form of limbo. J.J. Abrams’s Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker was the latest film to reach theaters, making it your final watch – for now – if you’d like to screen the Star Wars movies in order. But Star Wars fans have found plenty to celebrate in long-form television, available with your Disney+ subscription. There have been enjoyable shows like Andor and The Mandalorian, or course. And there are exciting upcoming Star Wars TV shows on the horizon, as well. But will any of the directors who are hard at work on the various Star Wars television shows get the chance to make the leap to feature films? 

Right now, there is a deep pool of directing talent working on The Mandalorian, Andor, and the upcoming Ahsoka, due in theaters later this year. Rick Famuyiwa did an incredible job on the two-part finale of The Mandalorian Season 3, and has a long history of developing movies (he was supposed to direct The Flash long before Andy Muschietti got the gig). However, when Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy took the stage at Star Wars Celebration outside of London, she announced three upcoming Star Wars movies, but the attached directors – outside of Dave Filoni – had no connection to the stories being told on the television side. Which seemed odd. 

When we got the opportunity to speak with Kathleen Kennedy on the press line for Star Wars Celebration, we asked her if and when Star Wars director like Rick Famuyiwa and Bryce Dallas Howard might get the chance to helm a feature film. Watch what she had to tell CinemaBlend:

So that’s encouraging. Especially when you hear the cast of Andor praising their directors because of the passion that they bring to Star Wars, having grown up on the universe and being excited about putting their spin on it. Also, the skillset that is necessary to create eight episodes of a Star Wars show seems even more complicated than a two-hour feature. Which might be part of the reason why so many Star Wars movies have been pitched, then dropped over the years. Stability would be appreciated on that side of the equation. 

It sounds like it’s coming, with Dave Filoni, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and James Mangold leading the charge with three new Star Wars movies. But while they workshop those ideas, let’s leave that door open for the TV directors, who are crushing it and deserve more opportunities. 

When it comes to managing a beloved franchise, current Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is no stranger to the pressure of delivering consistent hits, having overseen the productions of Star Wars movies since 2012. The Hollywood exec pointed to another long-running franchise when addressing the future of the Galaxy Far, Far Away, saying the sci-fi fantasy saga will take inspiration from the James Bond series as far as how the studio will approach its productions and release schedules.

The Lucasfilm head honcho recently revealed the movie plans for the series include a whole new trio of upcoming Star Wars films, but as far as their actual debuts go, Kennedy says the features will be released when they are good and ready. In a new interview with Empire Magazine, Kennedy cites James Bond films as inspiration for this adjusted mindset, explaining that the secret agent's adventures on the big screen are released every three or four years, without the overt pressure to produce new movies yearly. She told the publication:

Anyone who watches all the Star Wars movies in order might notice ebbs and flows in quality, which has been a major criticism the series has faced under Kennedy’s tutelage, such as the so-so spinoff Solo: A Star Wars Story and the O.G. saga's concluding film, The Rise of Skywalker (see why we thought it was disappointing). Disney’s original plans to release new films on a yearly basis likely contributed to the aforementioned dips. 

However, Kennedy’s revised ideas to “event-ise” the franchise's releases when they're creatively ripe could revitalize anticipation and excitement even amongst former fans who lost faith in the Force. Taking inspiration from the Bond series, Kennedy seems to believe there is no need to rush the production of Star Wars films to meet specific release dates, or to keep up with the competition. Instead, Lucasfilm is prioritizing quality over quantity once more, as the head honcho explained that taking the time to develop and perfect the stories is crucial in delivering an event-worthy experience for fans.

According to the longtime Hollywood producer, the next big feature likely won't be set for release until at least 2025. The three planned movies will explore different time periods in the Star Wars timeline, with James Mangold directing a film about the first Jedi and the discovery of the Force, set 25,000 years before the Skywalker Saga. Dave Filoni will continue the Mando-verse era with a big-screen event. Interestingly, Oscar-winning documentarian Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is set to bring back Daisy Ridley as Rey in a film (which has seen some setbacks) set 15 years beyond the end of Episode IX, which will examine the more expansive lore and legacy of the Jedi belief system. As Kennedy explains:

As the Star Wars franchise moves forward, Kathleen Kennedy has a clear vision of keeping the series relevant and engaging. By taking inspiration from the James Bond creative teams' approach to prioritizing quality over quantity, Kennedy and the Lucasfilm team are paving the way for a bright future for the galaxy far, far away. And that's not even bringing all of the upcoming TV shows into it. 

Stay tuned to Cinemablend for all your Star Wars news, and make sure to check out our schedule of 2023 new movie releases to plan your next high-flying adventure in a theater.

Star Wars is a wildly popular franchise that has been entertaining audiences for decades. Generations of moviegoers were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, resulting in a powerful force of hardcore fans. Those fans lost their minds when Lucasfilm announced the new trilogy of movies, which will include Daisy Ridley’s return to the franchise as Rey Skywalker. And while Star Wars’ big Rey announcement ook the internet by storm, apparently the script’s not even ready yet. Let’s break it all down.

Since the release of The Rise of Skwyalker, there haven’t been any new Star Wars flicks in theaters or even in production. And after patiently waiting, three developing movies were officially announced at the Star Wars Celebration, including Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s movie about Rey forming a new Jedi order. Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy spoke to Yahoo! UK about that upcoming Star Wars movie, and got honest about just how far long that project is, saying:

There you have it. Despite the news about Rey’s return basically breaking the internet, there’s still a ton of work to be done. First and foremost the script needs to be completed, before other stages of the pre-production process move forward. But at least Kennedy seems to think it’s almost done.

Since the Skywalker Saga officially ended with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, fans have been curious to see exactly how the sci-fi property will continue its life in theaters. The next movies will be set in three different parts of the timeline, and should presumably allow for the filmmakers to make bolder narrative choices. After all, they won’t have to worry about the overall narrative of a trilogy of projects.

Later in that same interview with Yahoo! UK, Kathleen Kennedy explained how the franchise ended up landing on a project that’s all about Rey forming a new Jedi order. It turns out that the studio always wanted to explore what happened in the galaxy after Episode IX, although it was a matter of how. As she put it,

Over the past few years fans have been hoping to see the stars of the sequel trilogy return to Star Wars, either on the small or silver screens. Daisy Ridley will be back as Rey, although there are countless questions about what that developing project will entail. Specifically, fans are curious to see if her co-stars also return; will Adam Driver’s Ben Solo be back as a Force Ghost, or could John Boyega’s Finn finally train to be a Jedi himself? Only time will tell.

In addition to the Daisy Ridley movie, there are two other exciting Star Wars movies in the development stage. One will be helmed by Logan director James Mangold, and will feature the dawn of the original Jedi order. Another will come from Dave Filoni, and will wrap up the story of the Mando-verse.

None of these Star Wars movies currently have a release date. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Easily the biggest news out of Star Wars Celebration this year was the reveal that Lucasfilm planned three new films that would span the entire length of the mythical timeline to which every Star Wars movie is attached. James Mangold will go deep into the past to explore the origin of The Force. Dave Filoni will tell a story in the Star Wars present (according to Star Wars movies in order) that will connect plot threads of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and more. And then Daisy Ridley will return to the role of Rey for a movie set 15 years after Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker. It’s a welcome return to the realm of making movies, and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy explained to CinemaBlend the core idea that got them excited about moviemaking again. 

Katheen Kennedy is attending Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London, and attended a press line on behalf of Ahsoka, the new Disney+ show starring Rosario Dawson. But she was open about all things Star Wars, including the new movies that had been revealed. When explaining how Lucasfilm balances fan expectations against the types of stories that the company wants to tell now, Kennedy went on to reveal:

Looking back on the eras that were revealed as part of the presentation, you saw that Lucasfilm wants to delve into periods such as The Dawn of the Jedi, the Fall of the Jedi, the Age of Rebellion, the Rise of the First Order, and more. These are distinct periods that can be explored through different stories told on film. The placeholders for Star Wars used to be the existing trilogies. But now, in television shows like The Acolyte, we will visit a time when the Jedi were in power… and there were Wookie Jedi. That’s crazy.

As Kathleen Kennedy went on to explain:

The evolution appears to be connected the running theme of The Jedi. Which is encouraging to me because through the run of the Sequel trilogy, Luke was in hiding and Ben Solo was embracing the Dark Side of The Force. The Mandalorian has been the hot new show in the Star Wars universe, but by focusing on Mandalorians, the Jedi have taken a back seat. The new movies announced appear ready to put the Jedi back at the forefront, whether it’s Mangold exploring the first person to call themselves a Jedi, or Rey returning as a new Jedi Master, ready to lead Star Wars into the future.

In 2008, 19 years after the release of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Harrison Ford reprised Dr. Henry Jones Jr. in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Although Crystal Skull was met with a decent amount of positive reception from professional critics at the time and made over $790 million worldwide, there’s no question that this has become arguably the most polarizing of the Indiana Jones movies. 14 years after its release, and with Indiana Jones 5 on the horizon, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has given a reason why Crystal Skull wasn’t as beloved as its predecessors.

Kathleen Kennedy was among the many people Empire Magazine spoke to for its latest issues coverage on Indiana Jones 5, which includes our first full look at Harrison Ford back in the title role, Mads Mikkelsen’s antagonistic character being identified and the revelation that Ford will be de-aged for the opening sequence. Looking back to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Kennedy admitted that the movie’s story probably wasn’t as up to snuff as it should have been, saying:

From the ‘nuke the fridge’ sequence to Shia LaBoeuf’s performance as Mutt Williams to aliens being focused on rather than religious/supernatural phenomena (something writer David Koepp acknowledged was a mistake), there are plenty of elements in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that rubbed fans the wrong way. It’s like Kathleen Kennedy said, no one sets out to make a bad movie, but in this instance, she realizes that the story could have been improved. To be fair though, there were also multiple versions of a fourth Indiana Jones movie that had been written for more than a decade prior to the Crystal Skull story being selected, so it’s not like this movie was rushed to the big screen.

Maybe had one of those earlier narrative concepts been retained, Indiana Jones 4 would have been a hit on the level of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade. But hindsight is 20/20, and as mentioned earlier, even though much of the Indiana Jones fanbase was displeased with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, one can’t truly classify it as a bomb critically or commercially. Regardless, the stage is now set for Indiana Jones 5 to resume this film series, and fingers crossed it earns a better reputation than Crystal Skull, especially since it’s been confirmed that this will be Harrison Ford’s final time playing Indy.

Indiana Jones 5 arrives in theaters on June 30, 2023, and our 2023 release schedule is available to peruse if you’re curious about other movies coming out next year. It’s also worth mentioning that Disney+ is reportedly developing an Indiana Jones TV series that’s rumored to be about Indy’s mentor, Abner Ravenwood.

The last several days have seen quite a bit of Indiana Jones 5-related news pour in. First we got our first full look at Harrison Ford back as the adventuring archaeologist, and then we got the first official plot details for the 2023 movie release, including confirmation that Mads Mikkelsen is playing the movie’s Nazi main antagonist. Now it’s been revealed that Indiana Jones 5 will see Ford de-aged for the opening action sequence.

Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold shared with Empire that he wanted to kick off the blockbuster with an “adrenaline blast” by diving into “this kind of full-on George-and-Steven old picture.” So he and the Indiana Jones 5 team crafted a set piece set in 1944 that sees Indy in a castle filled with Nazis. In other words, this sequence takes place six years after the events of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Mangold continued:

One of the techniques that was used to pull off Harrison Ford’s de-aging in Indiana Jones 5 was utilizing new ILM software that searched through archived footage of Ford in his younger years and matched it to the footage from this new movie. And while not part of the digital wizardly, Ford’s jacket from Raiders of the Lost Ark was also pulled from storage and replicated for Ford to wear during this World War II-set sequence. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is especially excited about Indiana Jones 5’s de-aging and shared her hope for audiences thusly:

Although there was a few mentions of Indiana Jones’ activities during World War in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, this will be the first time we see Harrison Ford’s character active during the conflict on-screen. So how convincing was Indiana Jones 5’s de-aging? You’ll need to see the movie for yourself to reach that personal determination, but Ford admitted that this is “the first time I’ve seen it where I believe it,” and even called seeing his digitally-created younger self “spooky.” Regarding the sequence itself, it’s unclear if we’ll also see a younger version of Mads Mikkelsen’s Voller in that Nazi-filled castle, whether Mikkelsen himself is de-aged too or the character is played by a younger actor.

As for Indiana Jones 5’s main plot, we’ll be following along with our title protagonist in 1969, when Voller is now working with NASA on its moon-landing program and is searching for a mysterious object that would allow him to “correct some of the mistakes of the past.” Voller will be aided by Boyd Holbrook’s “crazy” lapdog Klaber, while Indy will be aided by his goddaughter, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena. We’ll also see the return of John Rhys-Davies as Sallah for the first time since Last Crusade, and the rest of Indiana Jones 5’s cast includes Thomas Kretschmann, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Antonio Banderas, Toby Jones and Olivier Ritchers. In addition to his directorial work, James Mangold co-wrote the script with Jez and John-Henry Butterworth.

Indiana Jones 5 opens in theaters on June 30, 2023. Catch up on Indy’s previous cinematic exploits with a Paramount+ subscription while you wait for Harrison Ford’s final outing as the character.

Is it over for the Skywalker saga? Recently, it feels like Lucasfilm is starting to make an effort to launch a new era within the Star Wars timeline that doesn’t completely rely on the story (and family) that started it all. With that in mind, we have to wonder if fan-favorites from this period of the franchise will still be explored down the line, like Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron. In the past, the actor hasn’t seemed interested in the prospect of a return, but let’s talk about the latest thoughts he shared when asked about playing the pilot again. 

After wrapping up the role of Poe Dameron in 2019’s Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, Oscar Isaac said he was more inclined to make “handmade” movies than standing in front of a blue screen for major franchises like Star Wars. And he memorably joked (?) that he’d return to Dameron if he needed another house. Here’s what he says now: 

Oscar Isaac is keeping his options open, per his words to SiriusXM. While it certainly doesn’t sound like he’s running back to his orange jumpsuit in the near future, the actor isn't shutting down the idea of returning to the galaxy far, far away -- if the right project came his way. Two things seem to factor into how he’s making decisions moving forward. He has to form a connection with the story and filmmaker, and he has to have enough time to actually do the project. 

Oscar Isaac is 43 years old and has two young sons, 5-year-old Eugene and 2-year-old Mads. When he started working on the sci-fi franchise back in 2014, the actor was not yet married and wasn't a father. He may have different priorities these days and be pickier about the projects he decides to sign on for. 

I could certainly see Lucasfilm exploring Poe Dameron in the future with a Disney+ series focused on the character or even a solo film. But on the other hand, the actor and the cast of the Star Wars sequel trilogy dealt with a lot of unforeseen changes in creative direction and so forth. Isaac previously opened up about “Disney overlords” for not being ready to bring Poe and Finn’s relationship to screen after his “push” for it as well as lot of fan excitement for it to become canon. (Seriously, is there still tension there?) 

Since wrapping up his work as Poe, Oscar Isaac has beena part of some big projects like Dune, which Star Wars has roots in and Marvel’s Moon Knight, which could lead to him being one of the new MCU heroes to join the next Avengers movies. We’ll have to see how it all pans out as we follow all the upcoming Star Wars coming our way next. But you can stream his past SW appearances using a Disney+ subscription.

There are long-running franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. The galaxy far, far away changed the film world forever with the original trilogy, and has remained part of the pop culture landscape in the decades following. And Star Wars boss Kathleen Kennedy has shared a key detail on what to expect from future movies in the sci-fi property.

The nine-film Skywalker Saga ended with 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker, and there haven’t been any new movies hitting theaters since then. Instead, Star Wars continued to expand thanks to live-action shows on Disney+. And during a recent conversation with Empire, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy just shared a key detail on what to expect from future Star Wars movies. Specifically where in the timeline they’ll be set, teasing:

Well, I’m interested. While a ton of recent Star Wars content has focused on the time between the prequels and A New Hope, it looks like future movies might explore what happened after the events of the sequel trilogy. And with the main story wrapped up, filmmakers could seemingly go anywhere with future Star Wars flicks.

This information from Kathleen Kennedy comes from her recent appearance at Star Wars Celebration. While the convention largely focused on upcoming TV content, there are countless questions about the franchise’s future on the big screen. After all, a number of movie projects have been announced and scrapped over the years.

The first Star Wars movie that was expected to hit theaters after The Rise of Skywalker was Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron. Unfortunately, the Wonder Woman filmmaker had creative differences, and that project was put on hold. Then there’s the announced trilogy by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, but was scrapped when they exited their deal. Both Rian Johnson and Taika Waititi are attached to their own Star Wars movies, but there’s been no concrete release date provided. 

It should be interesting to see exactly where the new Star Wars movies take the beloved sci-fi franchise whenever they’re finally released. The evil of the First Order/Empire is seemingly gone forever, which will no doubt change the galaxy forever. Perhaps Rey will start a new Jedi Order? Only time will tell.

For now, Star Wars continues to expand on the small screen with the new series Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

For a long time, the main way you could explore the Star Wars franchise was in a cinematic setting, but over the last decade and a half, the small screen has become significantly more important to this franchise. While Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels were certainly integral to expanding this lore, starting with The Mandalorian, now there are plenty of live-action Star Wars TV shows here or on the way that are accessible with a Disney+ subscription. But Star Wars movies aren’t being tossed aside as a result, and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy explained to CinemaBlend how this franchise will balance movie and TV shows going forward.

Our own Law Sharma spoke with Kathleen Kennedy at Star Wars Celebration, and in addition to getting an update from her on what’s happening with the Lando Calrissian series, he also inquired about what the balance looks like with focusing on both Star Wars movies and TV shows. After saying it was interesting he’d ask that because she’s “in the middle of that right now,” Kennedy answered:

Like Kathleen Kennedy said, the TV landscape is certainly nowadays compared to even just 10 years ago. Many people who you normally associate with working on movies have lent their talents to high-profile TV shows, like Matthew McConaughey starring in True Detective Season 1, or David Fincher helming episodes of Mindhunter. On the Star Wars side of things, filmmakers like Robert Rodriguez, Peyton Reed and Taika Waititi have directed episodes of The Mandalorian and/or The Book of Boba Fett, and frankly, what these live-action Star Wars shows have been able to pull off with action, visual effects, etc, feel like they would have looked just as good in a Star Wars movie.

At the same time, Kathleen Kennedy is aware that spectacle, scale and size are what draw people to see a blockbuster movie in theaters. Shows like The Mandalorian certainly aren’t lacking in action, but they’re arguably more focused on introspection and characterization. Disney+ is a good platform to tell those kind of stories, whereas with something like Patty Jenkins’ upcoming Rogue Squadron, watching X-Wings fly around and shoot down TIE Fighters is the kind of thing that’s practically tailor-made for silver screen presentation. That’s not to say the movies will toss out character-building, but Kennedy and the rest of the Lucasfilm creative minds behind Star Wars want to deliver tales that people won’t hesitate to pay the price of a movie ticket to check out.

In the Star Wars TV realm, Obi-Wan Kenobi has finally premiered, and after it’s done, Andor (which dropped its first trailer) will premiere its first two episodes on August 31. On the film side of things, although Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie doesn’t have a release date yet, it’s expected to be the next installment in this corner of the Star Wars franchise, while Rogue Squadron as been “pushed off to the side for the moment.” Continue visiting CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest Star Wars news.

There are popular movie franchises, and then there’s Star Wars. Generations were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, which wrapped up the nine-film main narrative with The Rise of Skywalker. Since then the epic space opera has been noticeably missing from theaters, with the franchise expanding thanks to live-action shows on Disney. But when is Taika Waititi’s upcoming Star Wars movie coming to the movies? Here’s the latest from Kathleen Kennedy.

While the galaxy far, far away continues to expand thanks to content on the small screen, fans are eager to see the sci-fi property back on the silver screen. Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron was originally expected to be the first post-Skywalker Saga installment, but that project was put on hold. Now it seems that Taika Waititi’s mysterious Star Wars flick will have that honor, and franchise boss Kathleen Kennedy recently asked by Total Film about when we should expect that developing project to hit theaters. She offered her best estimation, saying:

There you have it. While there’s currently no release date for Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie, Kathleen Kennedy is hoping that it ends up hitting theaters at the end of 2023. Although the Lucasflim boss was careful to clarify that nothing has been locked down as of yet. After all, Oscar winning filmmaker Waititi will first focus on the release of Thor: Love and Thunder.

Kathleen Kennedy’s comments come from Lucasfilm's annual Star Wars Celebration event. This convention provides thrilling updates about upcoming projects in the beloved space opera, although much of the focus has been on small screen content like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Mandalorian Season 3. But fans are definitely eager to see George Lucas’ beloved franchise return to theaters sooner rather than later.

Later in her same interview, Kathleen Kennedy was asked about whether or not the Star Wars franchise was still focusing on movie projects, while also balancing the Disney+ shows. She responded positively, saying:

Do you hear that sound? It’s hardcore Star Wars fans letting out a collective sigh of release. Because while a few movie projects have been announced and promptly scrapped, it looks like Lucasfilm is still going to bring Star Wars back to the big screen. 

Aside from Taika Waititi's movie, Marvel boss Kevin Feige is also attached to bring a Star Wars movie to life. The Last Jedi filmmaker Rian Johnson was also expected to bring a new project to life, although there’s been no real updates on that front. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Back in late 2020, a handful of live-action Star Wars shows were announced to be joining The Mandalorian on Disney+ in the coming years. This included a series centered on Lando Calrissian, the character originated by Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back, and whom Donald Glover played in Solo: A Star Wars Story. However, there haven’t been any updates on this Star Wars project since then, but now we know where it currently stands thanks to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

CinemaBlend’s own Law Sharma had the opportunity to speak with Kathleen Kennedy at Star Wars Celebration, during which time he asked her if there’s been any word or movement on the Lando series. As it turns out, Donald Glover’s busy schedule is currently holding up this project from making any major progress forward, with Kathleen Kennedy saying:

Although it wasn’t clarified during the original Lando announcement who would star in the series, given Billy Dee Williams’ age and that there are a lot of ways to follow Lando Calrissian’s life either before the events of Solo: A Star Wars Story or in the time period between that movie and The Empire Strikes Back, many assumed it would be Donald Glover leading the show. Kathleen Kennedy confirmed this is indeed the case, but because the actor, singer, director, producer and all-around entertainment talent has so much on his plate, the Lando series is basically frozen in carbonite right now. That’s not to say it will never happen, as Kennedy indicated Glover will eventually jump back into the world of Star Wars, but it may be a while until we reach that point.

The other series Kathleen Kennedy referred to that Donald Glover is working on is likely Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which has been set up on Amazon and is a reboot of the same-named 2005 movie starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The Mr. & Mrs. Smith series was originally going to see Glover starring opposite his Solo co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but she departed the project in September 2021, and in April, it was revealed that PEN15’s Maya Erskine is taking over that role. Glover also completed shooting the fourth and final season of FX’s Atlanta back in February.

Aside from Donald Glover’s involvement, all we know about the Lando series is that Dear White People writer and director Justin Simien is putting it together. So there are a lot of questions that need to be answered about this Star Wars show, and working off the latest information provided by Kathleen Kennedy, those answers are likely a long ways off. Still, it’s good to know that Lando is still on the Star Wars slate, as opposed to having been scrapped like Rangers of the New Republic.

Once specific details about Lando come in, we’ll pass them along. For now though, there are plenty of other upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows to look forward to, including the recently-announced Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law.

At this point, The Mandalorian has easily solidified itself as one of the hottest shows on television. In only two seasons, the series has taken the Star Wars franchise to new heights by telling compelling stories and introducing intriguing characters. It’s also managed to earn a number of high-profile award wins and nominations in the process. With such success, it was no surprise that Disney+ put several spinoffs into development, including Rangers of the New Republic. It would now seem that the show could be cancelled, though there is still some good news in the midst of this. 

Rangers of the New Republic was originally announced during the company’s presentation at Disney Investor Day in late 2020. Though specific plot details were not explicitly confirmed, it was widely reported that the show would thrust Gina Carano’s Cara Dune into the lead role. Plans for the project likely changed, however, after Carano was dismissed from the studio for a social media post that was deemed “abhorrent and unacceptable.” By May 2021, reports suggested that the project was no longer in active development. 

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy recently provided an update and confirmed that there hadn’t actually been much movement on the Star Wars series. Nevertheless, the producer went on to suggest that those ideas could materialize in another form:

Though the studio head didn’t explicitly confirm the project’s cancellation, her comments to Empire (via IGN) do seem to indicate that the project is, at the very least, close to being discarded. But if what she says does come to pass, The Mandalorian could still allow those ideas to see the light of day, which is great to hear. It would certainly be different from what fans may have initially imagined, but they could surely work in the context of the parent show. 

Over its first two seasons, the acclaimed series has increasingly given hints as to how the New Republic operates. Season 1 featured cameos from a few of the fledgling government’s pilots, played by series directors Deborah Chow and Rick Famuyiwa as well as producer Dave Filoni. Season 2 then took the next step by introducing another pilot in a bigger role and having Cara Dune join up with the organization as a marshal. The latter plot point surely seemed to be teeing off things for the spinoff series. 

Rangers of the New Republic’s fate is definitely up in the air at this point but, luckily fans have other Mando-related shows to look forward to. December will mark the release of The Book of Boba Fett, which will continue the adventures of the titular bounty hunter and his right-hand woman, Fennec Shand. Also, viewers will eventually catch up with Jedi Ahsoka Tano in her own self-titled series, which appears to be resolving a major plot point from Star Wars Rebels. So things look good for the Mando timeline and its chances of repurposing Rangers’ story ideas.

The first spinoff of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, hits Disney+ on December 29, and you can stream the parent series ahead of the premiere.

While The Book of Boba Fett is just over a month away from its Disney+ premiere, it seems that most Star Wars fans are really focused on next year and the release of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series that will star Ewan McGregor in his return to the role originated by Sir Alec Guinness. It will also, even more surprisingly, see the return of Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader. Fans are going to be thrilled to see this but Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy says she was surprised at just how much it meant to the actors themselves.

In a new interview with Empire Magazine Kathleen Kennedy says that both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen were quite excited to get to work on the new Disney+ series, but that it was also an emotional experience for them both. It’s not necessarily something that you think about, but the prequels were big movies not only for Star Wars but for the careers of these two actors. Kennedy explained... 

I feel like saying the Star Wars prequels were the beginning of Ewan McGregor’s career is selling the actor a bit short. He’d been in several significant movies prior to The Phantom Menace. Having said that, the first prequel film was certainly the biggest movie he’d ever been in to that point in his career and it turned him from being an actor into a movie star. It’s a bit more true for Hayden Christensen, whose filmography is mostly made up on TV guest appearances prior to Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones. 

And considering how the reception to the prequels has been mixed over the years, it wouldn’t be that surprising if these actors did not have the strongest connection to the films. But whatever the fans happen to think of the films, it seems these actors truly had an emotional reaction to being back in the galaxy far, far away. 

Of course, in the new series the relationship between the characters will be quite different. In the prequels, they were mostly allies, but now they will be enemies as Hayden Christensen isn’t playing Anakin Skywalker, but instead Darth Vader. Although, how that will work, what with Darth Vader being covered in armor and, one assumes, sounding more like James Earl Jones that Hayden Christensen, is anybody’s guess.  

Disney and Lucasfilm are currently crafting the next era of Star Wars following a grand finale to the Skywalker Saga in late 2019 with The Rise of Skywalker. Although the studios seem to have closed the book on the main characters from the Sequel Trilogy, including Daisy Ridley’s Rey, Oscar Isaac’s Poe and John Boyega’s Finn, we can’t exactly be convinced of complete finality forever. Han Solo, Luke and Leia certainly came back over 30 years after Return of the Jedi, so who’s to say the same couldn't happen with these newer leads?

There’s still clearly interest in the continuation of the storylines established in The Rise of Skywalker over a year after its conclusion. A clip of John Boyega sharing his thoughts on returning to Finn one day recently made its rounds online from a 2020 interview with none other than CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend co-host Jake Hamilton. Here’s what Boyega said about going back to play Finn at the time:

John Boyega and Jake Hamilton caught up just in time for Star Wars Day 2020 at the height of quarantine. During the interview, Hamilton asked the actor if he’d be interested in continuing his role in Star Wars thirty years down the line following starring in the recent trilogy. Boyega shared how much he “loved” the experience despite feeling some disappointment he has been public about, along with saying this:

One major criticism that has been part of the conversation following The Rise of Skywalker is the weaving storyline of its characters and rumored retcon of storylines between J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson’s own visions in their movies. John Boyega’s own experience became cloudy when his character was left with an open-ended conclusion. We never learned on screen what Finn needed to tell Rey, and the actor became vocal about being yet another sidelined BIPOC character.

Sure, J.J. Abrams clarified following the release of The Rise of Skywalker that it was indeed about his connections to the Force, but it’s kind of a bummer that John Boyega’s character did not get a complete arc in the trilogy itself. For the moment, Boyega and his cast-mates are stepping away from the franchise to play different characters, such as Boyega's coming return to Attack the Block, but years from now. we could him returning to flesh out the loose ends for a continuation of some sort.

Until then, there’s a lot to look forward to in terms of a galaxy far, far away. Check out what Star Wars movies and TV shows are coming in the near future here on CinemaBlend.

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The Star Wars universe is growing and, with that, comes a number of creatives who will be entering the galaxy far, far away for the first time. This includes Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige, who is reportedly set to produce a new Star Wars film for Lucasfilm. Many appear to be excited by the prospect of Feige joining up and, naturally, it would be easy to wonder if he could step into some of the franchise’s small-screen projects after his feature. Well, Feige has provided some clarity on this prospect.

Kevin Feige is quite savvy when it comes to deflecting questions, as the producer has yet to even confirm his Star Wars movie, despite the various reports on the subject. Nevertheless, when asked about the chances of him joining a TV show like The Mandalorian, his answer was quite clear:

Kevin Feige is a well-known Star Wars fan and, judging by his recent interview with EW, he wants to keep it that way as far as Lucasfilm’s television shows are concerned. It may be a bit disappointing for some, but you really can’t blame him for wanting to enjoy the week-to-week excitement of television without knowing what’s coming next.

Also, because of Kevin Feige’s work at Marvel Studios, he already has more than enough on his plate. At present, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is also making its presence known on the small screen, with an ambitious slate of content that will ensure fans won't be left wanting. Things seem to be off to a good start, too, as both WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier have been met with success.

We’re still trying to guess what Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie might be about, but you also can’t help but wonder what he could do on the TV side of things. Feige is a talented producer in his own right but, together, he and Star Wars guru Dave Filoni could really make something special. Additionally, joining the TV franchises would allow Feige to reunite with former Iron Man collaborator and Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau. Filoni and Favreau are handling things incredibly well thus far, yet having Feige in the room would just be another advantage for them.

You really can’t rule anything out when it comes to the entertainment industry these days, and Kevin Feige could always change his mind. But until then, like him, we’ll just continue to enjoy what Star Wars has to offer.

The Mandalorian, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are available to stream on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.

The relationship between "Star Wars fans" and Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy has been a tenuous one of late. At this point it seems likely that even if you really like Star Wars, there's a recent piece of media that you're not a huge fan of. Maybe it's Star Wars: The Last Jedi or The Rise of Skywalker, but the last Star Wars trilogy wasn't perfect. And a lot of fans figure the buck stops at the top with Kennedy, with some fans hoping she might step down. Unsubstantiated rumors have even claimed she was on the way out more than once. And now Disney CEO Bob Chapek has been asked directly if there's any chance she could be fired.

Bad news if you were hoping Kathleen Kennedy would be out of a job anytime soon, because it's not going to happen. During the recent Disney 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, a stockholder from San Antonio, Texas asked Bob Chapek if there was any possibility that Kennedy could be replaced in her role as head of Lucasfilm by somebody like Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, or possibly both. Chapek was unequivocal in his response that the company is very happy with Kennedy's work, and he for one hopes she stays in that job for quite some time. He said...

If it seems a bit wild that Bob Chapek would be asked such a question, that's the difference between meetings designed for "shareholders" versus "investors." The Walt Disney Company holds many conference call style events a year, but most of them are designed for investors. The people who ask questions represent banks and investment firms and so the questions are focused on items that are going to directly impact the stock price of the company. Who's running Lucasfilm is a minor blip on that radar.

But shareholders are, for lack of a better term, normal people. While the stock price is certainly of value to them, they also simply care about normal stuff like watching the movies and going to theme parks. In addition to the Lucasfilm question Chapek fielded inquires on the future of the Disney college program, and possibly making changes to allow those that aged out of the program during the pandemic to apply, and questions about why Cinemark theaters weren't showing Raya and the Last Dragon.

But ultimately, everybody cares about the stock price, and while people may not have loved the quality of all the Star Wars movies, the fact is they've all made boatloads of money, and that's good for the company bottom line. As long as that continues to be the case, you can be sure everybody inside Disney is going to be happy with the work Kathleen Kennedy is doing.

Some of the biggest news on the Star Wars TV front broke in 2019 with the reveal that Ewan McGregor is returning for a new Obi-Wan Kenobi project on Disney+. Details were few and far between for the show... until now, with confirmation that none other than the prequel trilogy's Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Darth Vader.

The news comes from Kathleen Kennedy at Disney Investor Day 2020, when she said:

The Obi-Wan Kenobi series will deliver a rematch that fans previously had every reason to believe didn't happen until A New Hope, with friends-turned-enemies Obi-Wan and Vader facing off for the second and final time. Now, the return of Hayden Christensen for the "rematch of the century" reveals at least one battle between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope!

The Obi-Wan series will be directed by Deborah Chow, who made her Star Wars saga debut when she directed an episode of The Mandalorian in the first season. Production on the show that will deliver the Obi-Wan vs. Anakin rematch will begin in March of 2021, supporting some of Ewan McGregor's previous comments.

Since production is still a few months off from beginning, fans might not want to get their hopes up for much in the way of footage any time soon, but the Star Wars Twitter account released a first look of sorts:

Rumors began circulating that Hayden Christensen would reprise his prequel trilogy role for the Obi-Wan Kenobi show back in May 2020, but there was no confirmation, and it was hard to imagine what could bring him back in the flesh barring a flashback. After all, Anakin was famously disfigured shortly after his turn to the dark side of the Force in Revenge of the Sith, explaining his black armor throughout the entire original trilogy, which would have meant that anybody could theoretically have worn the mask.

It's hard to imagine the show bringing back the prequel trilogy's Anakin-turned-Vader actor just to stick him behind a mask and use James Earl Jones' voice, so we may not want to rule out flashbacks featuring an unmasked Anakin just yet, or perhaps dream sequences. That said, Kathleen Kennedy specifically said that Hayden Christensen is returning as Vader, so he's probably not just going to appear in flashbacks set before the climax of Revenge of the Sith.

Whatever the way that the new show incorporates Hayden Christensen as Vader, fans have a lot to look forward to on the Star Wars TV front. In fact, even more Star Wars TV details have been revealed, including the arrival of Lando Calrissian in a Disney+ original, Ahsoka Tano getting her spinoff shortly after making her live-action debut in The Mandalorian along with one more Mandalorian spinoff, The Rogue One prequel on the way (with a look behind the scenes), and even some more animation with The Bad Batch (with a new trailer).

For now, you can find new episodes of The Mandalorian releasing Fridays at 12:01 a.m. PST on Disney+, along with plenty of other existing Star Wars content.

Given just how secretive Disney and Lucasfilm are about The Mandalorian, fans were waiting basically until the most recent episode to get concrete confirmation that Daredevil vet Rosario Dawson was playing the live-action iteration of The Clone Wars' Ahsoka Tano. Thankfully, that wait was completely worth it, as Dawson was about as perfect as can be as the fan-favorite character. It turns out Star Wars' aces storyteller Dave Filoni got some advice from Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy that was key to convincing him the actress was right for the role.

During an interview with Vanity Fair about all things Ahsoka Tano and Mandalorian, Rosario Dawson talked about her personal and career history with Star Wars prequel trilogy vet Hayden Christensen, whose Anakin Skywalker was the Jedi Master to the Padawan Ahsoka in Clone Wars. But while she humorously gives the Force credit for her landing the Mandalorian role, Dave Filoni explained that it really came down to a simple and straightforward piece of advice he got from Star Wars' head honcho Kathleen Kennedy. In his words:

When it came to casting a beloved character that he'd created for animation, Dave Filoni essentially relied on his gut instinct to guide his decision-making, which isn't exactly like the Force, but it still feels like Jedi behavior all the same. In the same way that many Star Wars fans instantly embraced the idea of Rosario Dawson taking on the role of Ahsoka Tano, Filoni felt that she was indeed the one after just having a conversation with her.

Though Kathleen Kennedy's advice may sound like a no-brainer, it's pretty easy to understand that casting a Star Wars project is a situation that can cause untold amounts of stress and second-guessing. Had Dave Filoni met 1,000 actresses who could potentially fill the role, it would have been a giant headache to sort through and figure out how to arbitrarily judge and rank the most promising performers. But that presumably wasn't needed, because Filoni took Kennedy's words to heart and followed his instincts when they told him Rosario Dawson was a prime pick to wield dual white lightsabers as Ahsoka Tano.

It may have only taken a personal interaction with her to convince him, but Dave Filoni obviously wasn't ignoring all of the other elements that made Rosario Dawson sound tailored for the role. She's been in plenty of action movies and knows her way around a choreographed fist fight, and her fondness for genre projects has earned her a sizable fandom, and that fanbase's enthusiasm for her to join Star Wars is basically how she got interested in the role in the first place.

Now, is there a certain part of me that wishes Dave Filoni "just knew" that Clone Wars actress Ashley Eckstein would have been perfect to bring her animated character into live-action? Absolutely, since that actress' vocal evolution is a big reason why Ahsoka has resonated so strongly with fans. That said, Eckstein herself is pleased that Ahsoka's debut on Mandalorian has introduced the Force-sensitive badass to tons of viewers that haven't yet watched Clone Wars or Star Wars Rebels, but will likely now do so after witnessing the character's allure.

The Mandalorian's "The Jedi" was arguably the best episode yet of the Disney+ action-adventure, as it featured badass fight sequences, excellent guest stars in Michael Biehn and former Disney Imagineer Wing T. Chao (among others), Baby Yoda's real name and backstory and several other major Star Wars references that will no doubt open up Mando's storyline while also allowing the opportunity to craft spinoff series. We likely won't see Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano again before the season has wrapped, but here's hoping for spinoff news coming down the pipeline soon.

The Mandalorian drops new episodes on Disney+ on Fridays at 3:01 a.m. ET, and there are somehow only three episodes left in Season 2. While waiting to see where Mando and Baby...Grogu...go next, head to our Fall TV 2020 premiere schedule and our Winter and Spring 2021 TV guide to see what other new and returning shows are on the horizon.

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The Star Wars franchise has been passed down across generations of moviegoers, resulting in a deeply devoted fandom. And with galaxy growing through the sequel trilogy, standalone movies, and live-action shows, audiences have been known for voicing their opinions online. John Boyega's tenure as Finn ended with The Rise of Skywalker, and since then the 28 year-old actor/producer has been open about the racist backlash he faced while working on the franchise. And now he's further spoken to the honest conversation he recently had with Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy.

John Boyega's Finn was one of the leading characters of Star Wars' sequel trilogy, alongside Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac. And with the former Stormtrooper's story brought to an end for the time being, Boyega has been using his platform to be honest about what the process was like for him, which resulted in a dialogue with Lucasfilm exec Kathleen Kennedy. He expanded his thoughts further, saying:

Well, this is encouraging. It looks like John Boyega was given some support by Kathleen Kennedy when speaking about his experience in the galaxy far, far away. Lucasfilm is showing no signs of slowing down its production, focusing on a mixture of TV and film content. And as such, these frank conversations can no doubt help factor into a better work environment for the employees.

John Boyega's comments to Deadline help peel back the curtain on what it was like for the actor in the wake of his viral comments regarding Star Wars hate. While getting the role of Finn was the job of a lifetime, he faced a great deal of backlash as the franchise's first leading Black actor. And while he felt there wasn't enough support by the studio at the time, it certainly seems like Kathleen Kennedy and company are trying to make things right moving forward.

Star Wars fans can re-watch John Boyega's time in the franchise on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

In his same interview, John Boyega went on to emphasis the importance of the ongoing conversation about race in the entertainment industry. Campaigns like the #OscarsSoWhite have focused on the inequity regarding POC voices in the film world. And he hopes that more of these frank discussions can happen moving forward, particularly in massive franchises like Star Wars. As Boyega went on to say,

While John Boyega doesn't currently have any plans to reprise his role as Finn in Star Wars, the actor/producer is still making an impact on the beloved franchise. And he wants to make sure that the cast/crew who make blockbusters are supported by the studio who they're collaborating with. After all, we've seen how backlash from moviegoers can negatively affect those in the public eye.

When it was released, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was the subject of much backlash by the fandom. While director Rian Johnson continues to defend his movie's contents, Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran faced a ton of hate online. And as a result she left social media altogether and ended up working with a therapist to help her cope emotionally with these attacks.

The Star Wars franchise continues to expand through Season of The Mandalorian. Be sure to check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever growing place, and the massive fanbase can't wait for the story to continue in Phase Four. There are highly anticipated projects coming to both the small and silver screen, including Captain Marvel 2. Candyman director Nia DaCosta was recently tapped to direct the upcoming sequel, and it turns out that she's also being eyed for a possible gig with Star Wars.

Both Star Wars and the MCU are owned by Disney, with plenty of A-list talent signing on to both properties. Kathleen Kennedy is at the head of Lucasfilm leadership, guiding the franchise's ever growing galaxy. She recently spoke to the future of Star Wars, revealing that she had her eye on Nia DaCosta before she signed up to helm Captain Marvel 2. As she put it,

Nia DaCosta might not be a household name yet, but it's clear that the filmmaker is making a serious splash within the film world. After writing and directing Little Woods, the filmmaker helmed the upcoming Candyman sequel, working with producer Jordan Peele in the process. News of her hiring by Marvel was applauded by the film community, although it looks like that might have messed with possible plans for Kathleen Kennedy to bring DaCosta into the Star Wars family.

Kathleen Kennedy's comments to The Wrap are sure to be exciting for Star Wars fans who would love to see Nia DaCosta put her spin on the galaxy far, far away. Because while she'll first be diving head first into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain Marvel 2, perhaps the work within the comic book genre will inspire her to explore space in a different way. After all, the Star Wars franchise is in a particularly unique position at the moment.

Both Captain Marvel and the Star Wars franchise are streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

The first Captain Marvel movie was directed by filmmaking duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who provided a unique origin story for Brie Larson's mega powerful hero. But the sequel will have new leadership, and it should be interesting to see how that'll change the storytelling. Nia DaCosta won't have to do as much world building, instead being able to take the title character to new heights. We'll just have to wait and see exactly where she goes.

Captain Marvel 2 is currently expected to hit theaters in 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

The Obi-Wan Kenobi show is one of the most hotly anticipated projects at Disney+. To the delight of Star Wars fans, the TV show was formally announced last year, and they have been eager for updates ever since. Well, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has finally confirmed something new about the upcoming series, and it's pretty big.

If you thought that the adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi could populate a show comprised of multiple seasons, you would probably be correct. That said, Kathleen Kennedy has confirmed one of the critical aspects of the upcoming Disney+ series, and it does not include such a long run. Kennedy told The Wrap:

Yes, the Obi-Wan Kenobi show will be a limited series. Of course, that is what they said about the all-star-led, Big Little Lies. The HBO hit got a second season, and hope for a third season arguably springs eternal for fans of the drama. Success can have an impact on a show’s longevity. But for no, though, the plan is for the Obi-Wan Kenobi show to be a one-and-done at Disney+.

It's not an entirely surprising thing to learn when you consider that Ewan McGregor is reprising his role as the pre-New Hope Obi-Wan Kenobi. McGregor has a busy career, which has included television of late (Fargo in 2017), while also comprising a steady theatrical beat. The idea of any in-demand actor committing to a multi-season series would honestly be surprising.

Ewan McGregor has said that he believes he will enjoy making the Disney+ show more than he did the Star Wars prequels. So he's clearly set himself up to enter filming with a positive perspective. For those who might've forgotten, the Obi-Wan Kenobi series was initially slated to be a solo film before switching gears into TV territory.

Since the story was once thought to be able to get encapsulated in a film -- is a limited series a considerable stretch? Well, speaking to the complexity of the story, The director of the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show, Deborah Chow, has explained why the story is a better fit for TV than film, speaking to the complexity of it.

Speaking of Deborah Chow, she has also gone into detail regarding how filming the Obi-Wan Kenobi show will differ from The Mandalorian. Chow directed two episodes of The Mandalorian, while she will direct every episode of the now-confirmed Obi-Wan miniseries. Star Wars fans will have to stay tuned to see if the show can tell its tale in the confines of a limited run without feeling rushed.

Personally speaking, that is the only major drawback to a limited series, though there should be enough episodes to tell the tale. Ewan McGregor previously confirmed to Men’s Journal that the Obi-Wan Kenobi show would run for six hour-long episodes but more recent reports point to it being four episodes. One would think that a story once thought to span two-hours should be able to get told in four episodes. Fans will have to see if that theory holds up.

For now, the Obi-Wan series does not have a premiere date yet quite yet for Disney. Rest assured that it should arrive sometime after with this fall’s premieres, which will thankfully contain The Mandalorian’s second season. That's scheduled for release in October, so stay tuned.

To say that George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy made an impression on audiences would be a gross understatement. Not only did the three films win moviegoers with their action, scope, humor and heart, but they also inspired a generation. After it was completed, many wondered if Lucas would ever create a new trilogy, and he eventually did so with the prequels. The filmmaker went back and forth for years about whether he would create new films, but Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy thinks she knows why he finally decided to go for them.

Kathleen Kennedy has known George Lucas for years and worked with him as a producer on the Indiana Jones films. Although Lucas wasn’t actually directing the movies, she believes the innovations in filmmaking employed for the Indiana Jones franchise got Lucas thinking about what could be done for Star Wars. And as a result, he may have been a bit more motivated to return to the galaxy far, far away:

Kathleen Kennedy brought up an interesting point during her appearance on the second episode of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian. Lucas has always had an interest in technology and visual effects and had already had numerous patents when kicking off production on the original Star Wars film.

Like Star Wars, the Indiana Jones series also contributed to advances in visual effects and, based on the way Lucas’ mind works, it likely would have been hard for him not to think about how those methods could be used for Star Wars movies.

Anticipation for the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy was high when it was first announced, but many longtime fans were left disappointed after the release of The Phantom Menace. Its sequel, Attack of the Clones, wouldn’t achieve much acclaim either, though many were relatively satisfied with Revenge of the Sith.

In recent years, the reception to the prequels has become more positive, with many coming to appreciate what they bring to the Skywalker Saga. This not only includes fans, but Star Wars actors have also acknowledged the high points of the films.

Many may still have differing opinions on George Lucas’ second trilogy, but it can’t be denied that they were an achievement in filmmaking. And in the long run, Star Wars fans are probably better for having them.

The first two episodes of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian are now available to stream on Disney+.

As the nostalgia wave continues to rumble through Hollywood, and cherished projects from our past fight to remain relevant, Indiana Jones gears up for a fifth adventure that definitely will have Harrison Ford in the fedora and leather jacket. So no, Chris Pratt and Chris Pine are not leading a remake. We know that the movie is coming. We even know its release date, for the time being (if it holds). And we officially know that franchise founders Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford are returning. But what else can be shared?

Speaking with BBC News at the BAFTA awards ceremony earlier this week, super producer Kathleen Kennedy provided a few details on the as-yet-unnamed Indiana Jones 5. She was on hand to receive the equivalent of a career achievement award, so she opened up about her fantastic resume. When she got to Indiana Jones 5, Kennedy said:

That finally shoots down, once and for all, the idea that Ford will pass the baton to a new generation of potential seekers of fortune and glory. And when further pushed by the red-carpet reporter about Harrison Ford’s enthusiasm for the project, Kennedy quickly replied:

This is where we need to remind everyone reading that Harrison Ford currently is 77 years of age. Granted, he looks better at 77 than many others do at 50, and we have little doubt that he can still do just about anything that he wants… up to, and including, playing Indiana Jones on screen again.

But Indiana Jones 5 hasn’t started filming yet. And probably won’t begin filming any time soon. When asked by the same reporter about the state of the project, Kathleen Kennedy reveals:

So, not exactly prepping to shoot. We’ll remain a little bit skeptical on this one for the moment because scripts have bene an issue for the Indiana Jones franchise ever since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade hit theaters, and collaborators Steven Spielberg and George Lucas cooked up ideas for a potential follow up. Spielberg reportedly always wanted to involve aliens in the sequel, setting it in the 1950s and catching up with an older Indy. But numerous pitches from noted screenwriters were considered, scrapped or salvaged until they came up with the shooting draft for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

And we all know how that turned out.

Getting the script in the best possible shape is crucial. It sounds like they at least have an idea of what they want the fifth Indiana Jones movie to explore. They wouldn’t announce a project and give it a prime summer release date if they didn’t have a story… right?

David Koepp and Jonathan Kasdan reportedly are the writers currently trying to break the script for Indiana Jones 5, and once they have it, Spielberg and Ford can begin shooting it. The movie has a July 9, 2021 release date, which means it should begin filming soon, to give the director time in post. As an example, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad comes out on August 6, 20201, and is basically wrapping filming as we speak. But, Christopher McQuarrie’s seventh Mission: Impossible, which comes out in July 2021, is just now ramping up casting, so it’s all relative.

Stay on CinemaBlend for the latest updates on Indiana Jones 5. And if you want to know every movie that’s coming to theaters this year, make sure to bookmark our calendar, and check it often.

The Star Wars franchise recently finished off the Skywalker Saga by bringing the story of Rey to a close. The first female protagonist in a live-action Star Wars film was a big step forward for the series, but while the Star Wars movies have done better with representation in front of the camera in recent years, the brand has received some criticism over the years for its lack of that behind the same camera.

To put it bluntly, all the directors of Star Wars films have been dudes. In the past, Kennedy's comments on potential female directors in Star Wars have been criticized because she's implied that a female director would need to prove themselves before handling a Star Wars movie, which doesn't seem like too much to ask, except that at some point any director has to be given a chance, and if they're not, they can't ever prove anything.

Last night, Kathleeen Kennedy was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, a lifetime achievement award which the highest honor given by the organization. Following the presentation, the BBC asked Kennedy about the future of women behind the camera of Star Wars, and Kennedy stated that the franchise is already moving forward with female directors, both in regards to The Mandalorian and the upcoming Obi-Wan series on Disney+. According to Kennedy...

Three episodes of the first season of The Mandalorian were directed by women. Two were handled by Deborah Chow and a third was directorial debut of Bryce Dallas Howard. Chow, as Kennedy mentions here, is now moving on to act as showrunner for the new Obi-Wan Kenobi series, which is currently going through some delays, but is apparently still moving forward.

Of course, Disney+ series isn't really the question that was being asked. What we're curious about is women directing the flagship, taking on big screen theatrical Star Wars films. When pressed on that, Kathleen Kennedy says that, yes, it will happen...

While it seem certain, yes, one day, a woman will direct a Star Wars film, we have no idea when that will be, mostly because we have no idea exactly what's happening with Star Wars on the big screen. There are three movies on Disney's release calendar, coming out every other year starting in 2022, but with the exit of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss who were helming the first of them, we don't really know what the plan is now. Of course, the Game of Thrones pair leaving certainly opens the door for a woman to come in and pick things up.

And while seeing women direct episodes of Star Wars TV might feel like a significant step below the big screen, perhaps it will turn out to be the path to getting a big screen gig. Either way, the day that we'll see this new perspective on Star Wars is coming, we just don't know when.

The Star Wars fandom can be a formidable force, and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy credits the fans for bringing The Clone Wars back to screens in 2020 with new material for the first time in six years. The sudden cancellation of the series went down when there were still episodes already in development, and the fact that Clone Wars hadn't yet bridged the gap between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith meant there was still time in-universe. Thanks to fans, the Clone Wars crew gets to fill in the blanks.

Speaking with the LA Times, Kathleen Kennedy stated that the long-running fan campaign to revive The Clone Wars was what paid off, then said this:

Well, there's no denying that the Clone Wars fandom was tireless in chasing new episodes of the series. For years following the end of the series in 2014, it was all but impossible to look into the comments beneath articles and videos (not to mention social media reactions) without finding #SaveTheCloneWars.

The premiere of Star Wars Rebels in 2014 (which would go on to feature Clone Wars' Ahsoka in a key way) restarted the Clone Wars conversation, but I was convinced the revival would never happen... up until I heard the announcement of the revival at the Star Wars: The Clone Wars 10-Year Anniversary panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2018. Even if I had never seen an episode of Clone Wars and had no idea of the passion many Star Wars fans felt for the series, the roar of a reaction to the news would have convinced me.

Unfortunately for all the fans, not a whole has been released about the Clone Wars revival other than that it will launch in February 2020 on Disney+. It will mark the second batch of original Star Wars TV content for the streamer, thanks to the fall 2019 premiere of The Mandalorian, but not the last.

Two more live-action series are already in the works, continuing to bridge the gap between film trilogies already tackled by Star Wars Rebels. Both the Obi-Wan Kenobi-centric series starring Ewan McGregor and the Rogue One prequel starring Diego Luna will debut on Disney+ as well, although no narrowed premiere window has been named for those projects just yet.

Perhaps the biggest question about the future of Star Wars animation is whether the Clone Wars story will be satisfactorily wrapped up at the conclusion of its seventh season. There have been no announcements that the series could continue beyond Season 7. The timeline is rapidly approaching the events of Revenge of the Sith, and most of the major characters of Clone Wars are either dead or accounted for following Revenge of the Sith.

Maybe Clone Wars fans who went on to become Star Wars Rebels fans will have an easier time dealing with a permanent ending after how Rebels pretty definitively ended the stories of the Ghost crew by the end of its series finale. (One quite a bit more definitively than the others.)

Star Wars Timeline Explained: All Star Wars Movies And TV Shows In Chronological Order

Before any of us start mourning Clone Wars all over again, however, we can look forward to the 12 new episodes of the series that will begin releasing in February 2020. Ahsoka looks ready to go in the image revealing the February premiere, and Disney+ subscribers can always watch (or rewatch) the original run of The Clone Wars streaming now.

The Skywalker Saga comes to an end this weekend (wow, that’s weird to write) with J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. After that, well, we don’t know what’s after that because the Star Wars franchise will be taking a hiatus from the big screen for a bit and the next film has not been announced. In a recent interview, Star Wars boss Kathleen Kennedy teased the film hiatus after The Rise of Skywalker and why it’s necessary, saying:

That sounds reasonable enough. Star Wars’ theatrical hiatus is necessary because deciding the next steps for cinema’s most famous and iconic franchise is no easy task. In fact, it’s quite difficult because, as Kathleen Kennedy notes, she and the team at Lucasfilm are making it up out of whole cloth.

They are not adapting existing material that provides a clear roadmap of where to go next (a suggestion that fans of Legends canon and the Star Wars video games will certainly take umbrage with), nor do they have the narrative momentum of six prior films to go off of. Lucasfilm is essentially working with a vast and blank canvas.

According to Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm is still trying to figure out what the future of the Star Wars franchise is and what the next theatrical feature films will be. That takes time and it’s not something you can rush, making the upcoming theatrical hiatus necessary and vital to Star Wars’ cinematic future.

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy teased to the Los Angeles Times that filmmakers are being brought in to help chart that future. But that process doesn’t happen overnight, and choosing the right direction is something that must be carefully considered with the Star Wars universe providing a seemingly endless amount of possibilities.

Frankly, this sounds like exactly what Star Wars needs. Too much, too fast is arguably one of the problems with Star Wars under the Disney-owned era so far, and not having a real plan ahead of time before rushing to the big screen is one of the possible culprits for the perceived flaws in the Sequel Trilogy. A more measured approach could have been used sooner, but there’s no time like the present.

During this hiatus, Lucasfilm will be meeting with filmmakers to help decide where to go next. Part of what’s interesting about that is we don’t know if the next film will be a one-off, a trilogy or something else. So are these filmmakers’ ideas part of an overall plan for the entire franchise or just a plan guiding the next set of films? And will the story be mapped out ahead of time, something that was seemingly not done with the Sequels?

Elsewhere in the interview with the LA Times, Kathleen Kennedy says that Lucasfilm is going to be moving away from trilogies and letting the story dictate film count. So it seems that the future of Star Wars could look very different than what we’ve experience before.

We still don’t know for sure how long the hiatus will be or what’s coming up on the big screen post-Rise of Skywalker, but the December 2022 date, previously occupied by the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss films, is still on the calendar. That film supposedly already found a director according to THR, but who and what they’ll be directing remains a mystery.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker blasts into theaters on Friday, December 20. Check out our 2020 Release Schedule to see what movies you can look forward to next year.

When it comes to the Star Wars franchise, there have been plenty of controversial moments. And most recently, fans have questioned whether or not trailers have given away too many crucial details about The Rise of Skywalker. We’ve learned seemingly shocking details about the upcoming film thanks to the snippets of footage we’ve seen. And Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy has now offered her perspective on the choice to give fans these kinds of spoilers.

The Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker trailers have revealed two huge plot points -- the return of Emperor Palpatine, and the appearance of “Dark Rey.” And that was a focal point of the conversation when io9 sat down with Kathleen Kennedy and The Rise of Skywalker’s producer Michelle Rejwan. When asked whether it was fair to assume that the marketing campaign around the film has been purposefully less secretive, Kathleen Kennedy answered:

Her point, that we don’t understand the full context behind these revelations, is an important one. But the decision to reveal more details in the lead-up to The Rise of Skywalker’s release is still noteworthy, for a franchise that has notoriously locked down countless details over the years. Kathleen Kennedy spoke to how the decision was made -- and it had a lot to do with harnessing fan engagement:

Whether or not the team behind the final entry in the Skywalker saga had fan backlash over The Last Jedi in mind when they began planning their marketing strategy isn’t clear. We’ll see whether the marketing gamble paid off when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters on December 20.

December 2019: The Best Movies In Theaters In Right Now

Keep up with everything heading to the big screen next year with our 2020 movie release date schedule.

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It's almost hard to believe, but we're mere days away from the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. J.J. Abrams upcoming blockbuster will end the Skywalker Saga forever, and complete the story that George Lucas began back with A New Hope. Fans are eager to see what Abrams will do with his second installment in the franchise, but Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow was originally set to helm Episode IX. Now Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy has spoken about the decision to part ways with Trevorrow.

A slew of directors have been fired from Star Wars movies lately, including Colin Trevorrow and Solo's original duo Chris Miller and Phil Lord. Trevorrow's exit from the Rise of Skywalker allowed him to return to the Jurassic World franchise, while J.J. Abrams joined to complete the trilogy he began with The Force Awakens. When asked what about Trevorrow's version of Episode IX didn't work, Kathleen Kennedy opened up about the split, saying:

That certainly clears things up. It looks like it was all about the story, with Lucasfilm on the hunt to find an appropriate ending to the franchise. Plus, they were on a bit of a time crunch.

Related: Colin Trevorrow Shuts Down Latest Rise Of Skywalker Rumors

Kathleen Kennedy's comments to io9 help shine a light on the big decision made behind the scenes of the Star Wars franchise. While fans see a finished product, each installment in the galaxy far, far away is made by a series of human choices. A director is an especially important piece to the puzzle, so Kennedy and company at Lucasfilm had to trust their gut with which filmmaker would craft the best overall conclusion.

Kathleen Kennedy does make a point about J.J. Abrams' history and immersion within the Star Wars franchise. He personally created the characters who occupy the sequel trilogy. What's more, he worked with all of the original actors at one point. And he was able to craft a story that seemed stronger by the powers that be.

Ahead of the release of The Rise of Skywalker, fans can re-watch the Skywalker Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.

I do wonder what type of ideas Colin Trevorrow had for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. He's being credited for having worked on the upcoming movie's story, so at least some of them likely made it into the movie. But there were also likely many other choices that made Kathleen Kennedy and company decide to find another choice. Trevorrow is donating his residuals from Episode IX to Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice in England.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will arrive in theaters on December 20th, and Jurassic World 3 is expected to arrive June 11th 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Coming into the release of The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars fans are coming off a heated and polarizing debate that Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi fueled. Episode VIII faced all sorts of criticisms following its release, but who can deny the writer/director subverted and challenged what could be expected in a Star Wars chapter? Two years later, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is still defending the 2017 blockbuster, with these words:

Interesting! Kathleen Kennedy still stands by the decisions made in The Last Jedi despite all the backlash. She also chalks up the movie’s discord to being the second movie in a trilogy where “conflict” is central to its objective. She references back to Lucasfilm’s other sequels, including Empire Strikes Back from the original Star Wars trilogy and Temple of Doom from the Indiana Jones movies. They were also apparently subjects of controversy when they were first released.

Although J.J. Abrams took back the helm for The Rise of Skywalker after working on The Force Awakens, the studio hasn’t cut ties with Rian Johnson creatively. Although, Lucasfilm seems to be taking its time to release more Star Wars movies moving forward, Johnson is still on board to write his own trilogy of films. It shows Kathleen Kennedy is still confident in her decision to place him on the Star Wars creative team.

When you think about it, the writer/director had a tough debut coming into the middle of a trilogy like he did with The Last Jedi – it’s not the same as building up from your own ideas. And it’s bad enough there are already massive expectations from fans for the franchise; they had certain hopes going into the 2017 film after J.J’s The Force Awakens as well. Rian Johnson recently spoke out about the hate, harkening back to his own experiences as a fan of the series for decades, where the fandom has always been a bit hectic.

In her recent interview with Rolling Stone, the Lucasfilm president also shared how much she loved the fan criticism of The Last Jedi. Engagement with the material was a win from where she stands, and she felt it showed how much fans care about the franchise. Kathleen Kennedy said she does listen to the feedback the fanbase gives and thinks of it as a “kind of partnership” to the process.

Going forward, Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm are still trying to decide how to continue the franchise, and while a Star Wars movie is reportedly still scheduled for 2022, it's unclear what it will be about. It's also worth mentioning that while Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has his own Star Wars movie in the works, it's a ways off. The Rise of Skywalker comes to theaters on December 20.

What will be the next Star Wars movie to hit the big screen after this December’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker? It’s a question many have asked, and while there are a number of logical possibilities, the truth is that neither I, nor the wider movie-going public, actually knows. You know who else apparently doesn’t know? The president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy!

That’s right, not even Kathleen Kennedy is sure what’s next after The Rise of Skywalker. When asked if she has decided what movie is next, she said:

If we take Kathleen Kennedy’s comments at face value – realistically, she could just be playing her cards close to the vest – it would seem that the Lucasfilm president and her team are still in the process of deciding what’s next for Star Wars. There are many direction in which this franchise can move forward in the post-Skywalker Saga era. At the moment, though, not even Kathleen Kennedy knows what will come next after The Rise of Skywalker, but she has some ideas.

As Kathleen Kennedy told Rolling Stone, Lucasfilm is looking at various possibilities for the next Star Wars film but there’s a lot that goes into making that decision and it is not one that they are taking lightly. Rather than just greenlighting multiple trilogies and tons of anthology films, which seemed to be happening earlier in the Disney-owned Lucasfilm era, Kathleen Kennedy and Co. are now employing a more measured approach moving forward, taking all considerations into account.

How Star Wars moves forward after the 40+ year Skywalker Saga is hugely important to its continued viability, so what comes next after The Rise of Skywalker is a critical decision. While I would say the next movie doesn’t necessarily have to be the one that dictates the next four decades of storytelling, Star Wars does need to start figuring out what it wants to be after the Skywalkers are no longer its main narrative source..

So it’s a big decision, and that’s part of why Lucasfilm is taking its time to settle on what comes next just yet. As Kathleen Kennedy says here, it’s a decision that carries with it unimaginable pressure and anxiety, but is also one of boundless opportunity.

It sounds like there are probably some options on the table for what the next movie will be post-Rise of Skywalker, but just as we fans speculate about the possibilities, Lucasfilm is doing the same thing, trying to decide what direction to go in. The questions that Kathleen Kennedy cited as the ones Lucasfilm is asking are actually quite interesting and give us some insight into that decision-making process.

When Will Future Star Wars Projects Be Set?

In particular, Lucasfilm is deciding what time period the next Star Wars movie should take place in, which makes sense. I think the prevailing wisdom has been that we would probably get films mostly set before the Skywalker Saga like Knights of the Old Republic, or during it.

What’s interesting is the idea of going forward, because you would think that taking the narrative into the future would just be Episode X, XI, and XII, but that trilogy isn’t happening (yet), so the idea is a curious one.

Where Will Future Star Wars Projects Take Place?

Kathleen Kennedy also mentioned possibly going outside the galaxy far, far away we’ve spent so much time in to visit a different galaxy. (A long time ago, in a different galaxy, far, far away). This is somewhat strange, because even including Outer Rim territories and the Unknown Regions, the Skywalker Saga has stayed in one galaxy, Expanded Universe notwithstanding.

So it’s worth considering how far the hallmarks of the franchise extend beyond that galaxy. Are the Jedi and Sith out that far? Because if you go to the other side of the universe to a different galaxy, removed from all that is familiar, that would kind of just be another space opera movie and wouldn’t necessarily have to even be a Star Wars movie.

Whatever they decide, it’s good to know that Lucasfilm is considering all possibilities and taking this decision seriously. Nevertheless, the December 2022 date previously reserved for the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss Star Wars film remains on the calendar, so the cinematic hiatus isn't that long, and whatever Kathleen Kennedy and Lucasfilm decide is after The Rise of Skywalker, they will hopefully decide fairly soon.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters on December 20. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the big movies still to come this year.

Last night the Star Wars franchise had another entry in its ongoing series entitled "director problems." It was announced that the team of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, had decided to step away from their deal to make a Star Wars trilogy for Lucasfilm. The reason given for the split was that the pair simply didn't have enough time to work on Star Wars given their recent deal with Netflix.

Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy released a statement along with the announcement, that, at first glance, looks like pretty standard boiler plate. It makes it clear there are no hard feeling and it offers to welcome them back if such a thing is possible in the future. It reads as follows...

Except that, depending on how you read the statement printed in Deadline, the language reads quite differently. Social media has clued in on a somewhat more biting translation of Kennedy's statement, that says that if Benioff and Weiss clearly weren't focused on the deal they'd previously made, they're welcome to go.

It's certainly not difficult to read this particular inflection in Kathleen Kennedy's statement. And one certainly assumes that Kennedy was not happy with the duos decision to walk away from Star Wars after making a deal for more money with Netflix after they had already agreed to make Star Wars.

Of course, that assumes that it was ultimately Benioff and Weiss who made the decision to walk away, and it wasn't really Kennedy, who felt that her project wasn't being given the proper attention by the pair. There are certainly some who take that view.

Of course, the departure of Benioff and Weiss isn't the first issue with directors that Lucasfilm has had. The problem goes all the way back to the initial slate of Star Wars movies planned after the Disney purchase. Josh Trank was originally on board to direct a Boba Fett movie, but following the disaster that was Fant4stic, that movie vanished.

Gareth Edwards directed principal photography on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but then significant reshoots were apparently done without him, although both Edwards and Tony Gilroy worked together on the final cut of the film.

Then, another popular filmmaking due, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, left Solo: A Star Wars Story to be replaced by Ron Howard.

It's easy to think this is simply another case of Lucasfilm and the creatives having a different vision, but as one fan points, out, there could be more to it than that.

As stated here, Benioff and Weiss made comments very recently that when they first got started on Game of Thrones, there was some fundamental aspects of production that they simply weren't familiar with. While they certainly learned a lot during the run of the show, it's possible that the movie up to making a Star Wars movie introduced yet more that they weren't ready for, and the studio decided to cut bait.

This leaves the future of Star Wars in limbo. The trilogy from Benioff and Weiss was expected to be the next Star Wars movies we saw, debuting in 2022. Now, we'll have to wait and see if there's another movie ready to take its place, or if the upcoming Star Wars break is going to be a little longer.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has never been shy about his Star Wars fanhood. While his love for the creations of geniuses like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko is unquestionable, he has also never been shy about noting just how much love he really has for those stories set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Because of this, there has long been a question about whether or not he would ever actually take active involvement in the making of a Star Wars movie - and it seems today we have an answer. According to a new trade report, the answer is, "Yes."

This news comes to us from The Hollywood Reporter, which says that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn are now working with Kevin Feige in the development of a new chapter in the franchise that George Lucas launched all the way back in 1977. No details are currently known about the project in regards to what it will be about (no shocker there), but there mere fact that this filmmaker is now attached to this brand is obviously a big deal for the industry. In a response to a query from the trade, Horn said,

Things are obviously very much in the early stages of this thing, but sources are also already reporting particular rumors about what's happening.One interesting tidbit says that Feige is already aware of some very important specifics he wants to feature in the movie - namely the star and the part they will play. According to a "knowledgeable source," the Marvel Studios executive both knows who he wants to cast in the lead role, and what kind of role they will have.

This will obviously be the first time that Kevin Feige has had direct influence over the production of a Star Wars movie, but interestingly he has spent years letting Star Wars influence the work he's done for Marvel. For example, back in 2015 the filmmaker revealed to CinemaBlend that there is actually a very specific reference to the legendary science-fiction franchise in every Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Two film, as each title features at least one character getting a hand or arm cut off (which fans will recognize as something that happens quite a lot in the Jedi and Sith-centric movies).

As noted by Alan Horn, the Star Wars franchise is in an interesting transition period right now, mostly because of the Skywalker Saga coming to an end later this year with the release of J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. In addition to that, though, Disney has also announced specific plans to slow down the release of Star Wars features, with the next one after this year's event not set to come out until December 2022. In addition to the project that Kevin Feige is spearheading, the franchise is also in the midst of developing two separate trilogies, one made by Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and the other by Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson. It's not yet been announced exactly how all of these movies will be rolled out - either grouped together, or intermittently - so that makes circumstances surrounding the Feige movie even more mysterious.

How do you feel about Kevin Feige making not just a Star Wars movie, but a non-Marvel Studios movie? What would you like it to be about? Who are you hoping is his ideal star/protagonist? Hit the comments section below with all of your thoughts on the matter, and be on the lookout here on CinemaBlend for more details about this fascinating development.

When discussing the subject of Star Wars, there’s one name that pops up quite a bit no matter the tone of said conversation: Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy. And there’s been a lot of discussion within the fandom lately given that December will bring the final installment of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker.

One wouldn’t blame Kennedy if she felt that the sometimes vitriolic internet comments she’s received in the wake of both Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Solo: A Star Wars Story were a bit of a pain. But as she revealed in a recent interview with Yahoo! at D23 Expo, those fan criticisms are actually something she enjoys hearing. Said the executive,

The approach that Kathleen Kennedy has taken to addressing and taking in fan criticism is refreshing. Rather than block it out, or worse, engage it in such a manner that it would spur even more fan reaction, Kennedy seems to see the remarks of the crowd online as a free source of market research. This very well could explain some of the recent changes made to the Star Wars franchise.

The underwhelming response to Solo: A Star Wars Story may have also helped Kennedy keep the fans’ complaints in full view, which could have also lead to her influencing Disney CEO Bob Iger to agree with the Star Wars slowdown - which is to say that going forward we won't be getting a new film annually. Instead, we'll be getting a bit of a break from the franchise for a while after the release of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, and the next installment won't be heading to theaters until 2022. Given that the idea of slowing the production of releases was something discussed by a lot of fans, it's possible that their voices wound up having an impact on the direction of the franchise.

Every fandom has its ups and downs when it comes to the content of any property. However, Star Wars has the distinct advantage of having someone like Kathleen Kennedy at the helm and bringing her extensive experience in Hollywood to the table. And by having an ear to the ground she is keeping in tune with the demands of the audience she wants to see continuing to return to their local multiplex. It only suggests that the gears of that galaxy far far away will keep turning smoothly throughout her tenure with the studio.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be bringing the Skywalker Saga to what we hope is a satisfying conclusion on December 20th. Seeing as that’s not exactly in the next couple of weeks, you should probably head over to our 2019 release schedule and find your next adventure at the movies.

Kathleen Kennedy is making a promise. The President of Lucasfilm took the stage at Disney’s D23 Expo this past weekend, attended by CinemaBlend’s own Eric Eisenberg, and spoke about, among other things, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The final film in the Skywalker Saga hits theaters in December and needless to say, there’s a lot riding on it. There are a lot of unknowns about the J.J. Abrams film but Kathleen Kennedy was confident enough to make one promise, saying:

Kathleen Kennedy is promising that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be ‘an incredibly good time.’ She’s not promising that it will deliver satisfying answers to lingering questions or that it will perfectly wrap up the saga or that it will please everyone and unite the fractured fanbase, those are promises that she can’t make. She is simply promising that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be a good time at the movies.

Some may take issue with her ability to promise that but Kathleen Kennedy seems confident in her belief about the film and that has a lot to do with director J.J. Abrams.

Kathleen Kennedy has known J.J. Abrams for a long time and brought him onboard to resurrect the Star Wars franchise with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She saw what he did with that film and she has seen what he has done with the trilogy-capper and feels that J.J. brings the Skywalker Saga to a close in an exciting way that will if nothing else, be a good time.

Another thing that Kathleen Kennedy highlights is the fact that J.J. Abrams is a true, dyed in the wool, Star Wars fan. We all know that and that fact was plainly evident in The Force Awakens. She is framing J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars fandom as one of his bona fides and part of why he has been able to make The Rise of Skywalker such a fun and exciting movie.

Anecdotally, it’s part of why I think many fans have faith in J.J. Abrams returning for Episode IX, because there is a sense that he knows what Star Wars is and what it is supposed to be.

This all leads Kathleen Kennedy to make the promise that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be a good time. And let’s be real, she is the President of Lucasfilm, it is her job to help make this movie successful and she is of course going to sing its praises. But just because she would say it is good regardless, doesn’t make it untrue.

While there may be a lot of question marks and apprehension about The Rise of Skywalker, particularly regarding how it will handle certain character arcs, mythology, tie up the saga, etc., I don’t think there is much doubt that it will be a fun movie. Rehash of A New Hope or not, The Force Awakens was a fun movie and there is no reason to think J.J. Abrams can’t accomplish that again. So this is a relatively safe guarantee for Kathleen Kennedy to make.

If the new D23 footage from The Rise of Skywalker is any indication, Kathleen Kennedy is probably right because the film looks like a blast. We’ll find out for sure when Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters on December 20.

Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies and for the latest promises people will surely be held to, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Today, it was announced that Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca across five Star Wars movies and numerous other projects, had died earlier this week of a heart attack, just shy of his 75th birthday. This marks yet another passing of a Star Wars icon, and while it’s sad that Mayhew is no longer among us, it’s also touching to see those who worked alongside him paying tribute to the man.

First off, we have Harrison Ford, who acted alongside Peter Mayhew as Han Solo, Chewbacca’s longtime partner, in the original Star Wars trilogy and The Force Awakens. In his statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Ford honored Mayhew not only was a work partner, but as a true friend in real life.

Next, we have Mark Hamill, who also spent a lot of time alongside Peter Mayhew when he was playing Luke Skywalker in the first three Star Wars movies. Hamill said the following:

Then there’s Billy Dee Williams, who joined the Star Wars franchise as Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and performed alongside Peter Mayhew in that movie and Return of the Jedi. Williams posted:

Following The Force Awakens, Peter Mayhew retired from playing Chewbacca, and Joonas Suotamo, who shared the role with Mayhew in the first installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, has been playing the trusty Wookiee full time ever since. Here’s how Suotamo paid respects to his mentor:

Of course, there wouldn’t be a Star Wars franchise without George Lucas, who discovered Peter Mayhew and personally selected him to play Chewbacca. Lucas paid tribute to Mayhew with the following statement to ABC News:

Then there’s The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, who never worked with Peter Mayhew, but was nonetheless inspired by his work ethic, saying:

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy recognized Peter Mayhew’s impact on the Star Wars franchise thusly:

Finally, Disney CEO Bob Iger mourned Peter Mayhew’s passing with these words:

These are just some of the many reactions you’ll find about Peter Mayhew’s death, both from well-known figures and regular Star Wars fans. While he’s no longer with us, his presence in the Star Wars franchise will continue to be felt for many years to come. Mayhew also acted in projects like Dark Towers, Dragonball GT: A Hero’s Legacy and Comic Book: The Movie, and along with being a regular on the convention circuit, he opened the Peter Mayhew Foundation, which aids in numerous charitable causes.

Be sure to share your thoughts about Peter Mayhew in the comments below. The Star Wars film series continues later this year with the release of The Rise of Skywalker on December 20. You can also look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what movies not set in a galaxy far, far away are coming soon.

Through the course of the most recent trilogy of films released to the public, the Star Wars saga has introduced new and exciting characters like Poe, Finn, and Rey to audiences that have come to love them. But with the end of the Skywalker Saga coming in Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker, a lot of people are worried their new favorites might not be coming back.

That concern has been addressed Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy who, when asked about whether or not we’ll have to wait for any of these characters to come back, gave a pretty optimistic case for their return:

So while Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker will close out the stories of characters like General Leia Organa or Luke Skywalker, it sounds like the younger wave of characters that brought this new trilogy to the masses are still up for grabs. And Kennedy had her eye on one specific platform to make that all come true.

As she discussed this matter with MTV News at the most recent Star Wars Celebration, Kathleen Kennedy played the Disney+ card, stating that the platform is being keenly looked at for ways that these characters can live on. Everything from the broad scope of the upcoming Mandalorian series to what Kennedy calls potentially smaller and grittier stories, are in play.

Both film and TV appearances certainly feel like good ideas, and since Poe, Finn, and Rey aren’t as deeply entrenched in the Star Wars lore as key figures like Han Solo or General Leia Organa, there’s room for them to be part of new and exciting adventures outside of that realm. And that’s where the universe seems to be headed on the whole.

With two different film trilogies being crafted by both Rian Johnson, he of Star Wars: The Last Jedi fame, and Game of Thrones masterminds David Benioff and D.B.Weiss, both of those series have opportunities to expand the Star Wars brand to a point where the original trilogy isn’t such a cornerstone of accessibility.

Combine that with the fact that Disney+ has already lined up star-studded shows continuing their Marvel Cinematic Universe, and you’ve got another chance to jump into a new corner of that world. If Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, and Anthony Mackie can jump on board for MCU projects on Disney+, then Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, and Daisy Ridley don’t sound like terrible reaches.

There’s far from an exact game plan as to how or when we may see our favorite characters from the final trilogy in the Skywalker Saga. But at the very least, there’s hope that we will see them again; and as Star Wars has taught us, hope is a very powerful thing.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brings us the last installment of the Skywalker Saga on December 20th. But seeing as you’re probably an avid moviegoer, use our 2019 release schedule to plan out all the fun movies that can help pass the time between now and then.

The future of the Star Wars franchise is both exciting and uncertain at the moment. There are many new projects in the works, but with Star Wars: Episode IX set to end the Skywalker Saga and with a slowdown expected after Solo: A Star Wars Story's disappointing box office performance, there are a lot of questions about the next steps for the popular franchise. Whatever those next steps are, they will still be presided over by Kathleen Kennedy, as the Lucasfilm president has renewed her contract.

The contract renewal is for three years and will keep Kathleen Kennedy as head honcho at Lucasfilm through 2021, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Kathleen Kennedy has shepherded Lucasfilm in the Disney era and been the architect of the new Star Wars franchise. Under her, the new Star Wars films films have grossed almost $4.5 billion dollars at the box office, easily covering the $4 billion Disney paid for Lucasfilm, and that's before all of the other money the franchise has brought in. This contract renewal is seen as a vote of confidence in Kathleen Kennedy and acknowledgement of the amount of success that the relaunched Star Wars has had under her leadership.

This move comes after a tumultuous year for Star Wars, where the once bulletproof franchise has faltered and Kathleen Kennedy herself has come under major scrutiny for perceived missteps. Kathleen Kennedy has been very hands on, unafraid to remove directors or reduce their roles in productions at even the latest stages, including Gareth Edwards on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Chris Lord and Phil Miller on Solo and Colin Trevorrow on Star Wars: Episode IX. The drama hasn't stayed behind the scenes though, with Star Wars: The Last Jedi receiving an extremely divided reaction from the fanbase, even though it still made over $1 billion. Kathleen Kennedy's Lucasfilm did suffer a financial disappointment with Solo, which failed to make even half of what any of the new era Star Wars films have made.

Clearly these factors did not outweigh the success Kathleen Kennedy has had, and Disney is looking for her to continue that success for another three years. Solo's performance was, at least partially, attributable to its proximity to The Last Jedi. We now know that that was Bob Iger's decision, not Kathleen Kennedy's, and it sounds like that lesson was learned and we will be experiencing a Star Wars slowdown in the future.

The only Star Wars film officially on the schedule at the moment is J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode IX, which releases in 2019. Beyond that, there are various other projects in development, from Rian Johnson's new trilogy to D.B. Weiss and David Benioff's new series of films. Kathleen Kennedy's contract renewal means that she will overseeing all of these at least through 2021. That's not all though, as we know Jon Favreau is working on a live-action Star Wars series, and according to THR, television will be the focus for Star Wars in the near future as a way to expand the Star Wars universe. Beyond the adventures set in a galaxy far, far away, Kathleen Kennedy's contract renewal at Lucasfilm means that she will also be overseeing Indiana Jones 5, which is scheduled for release in 2021.

Star Wars: Episode IX releases in theaters on December 20, 2019. Check out all of next year's biggest movies in our guide and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest news from a galaxy far, far away.