Is Disney Ruining Star Wars? Kathleen Kennedy Admits the Struggles Without George Lucas

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Since George Lucas left the Star Wars universe, it has encountered some rough patches, and now Kathleen Kennedy is openly addressing these issues. In a recent interview, the president of Lucasfilm for many years confessed that the period following Lucas’ sale of the intellectual property to Disney in 2012 presented unforeseen difficulties, particularly on the big screen.

During a conversation with Ash Crossan from Screen Rant at Star Wars Celebration 2025, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy admitted that it has been a significant challenge to determine the direction after wrapping up what George Lucas initially established.

For quite some time now, we’ve been discussing and brainstorming the future direction of Star Wars. The television streaming platform presented an exceptional chance to innovate and experiment with fresh characters and narratives. This is how ‘The Mandalorian’ was born. After the release of Episode 9 and the subsequent sequel movies, wrapping up what George Lucas had started, it has been quite a task to determine where we should steer the story next.

For quite some time now, fans have experienced a sense of contention regarding certain aspects of the series. The release of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” was particularly divisive and sparked disagreement among fans, causing subsequent projects like “The Rise of Skywalker” to alter their direction, which many feel was detrimental. In terms of television content, it’s undeniable that the Star Wars universe has been stretched thin since Disney+ launched in 2019, with a total of ten live-action seasons available so far. The recently premiered “Andor” Season 2 has been widely praised by critics as exceptional.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled about the future of cinema, especially when it comes to the galaxy far, far away. I can’t help but draw parallels with the exciting journey of The Mandalorian and Grogu, not to mention the anticipated return of Star Wars: Starfighter – two films we know are definitely coming our way. I’m in awe of the incredible filmmakers on board, and I must say, Lucasfilm seems to have a keen insight into what the future may hold for this iconic franchise. They’ve got a real sense of where Star Wars is heading, and I can hardly wait!

It appears we’re picking up speed now, with some fantastic directors on board. There’s a palpable excitement about where Star Wars is headed next.

When asked by Crossan about the direction for Star Wars moving forward, Kennedy downplayed the emphasis on specific characters. In fact, as the Lucasfilm executive explained, they haven’t built the series around particular characters. Moreover, he expressed that in future installments, they aim to avoid everything being interconnected and instead prioritize the tales themselves.

We haven’t focused our creations around specific characters; instead, it’s a setting – a galaxy located at a great distance. This vast expanse offers countless tales that can be woven, but we must avoid spinning so many stories that they become confusing. Yet, we don’t want everything to be interconnected either. Our aim is to create compelling narratives, even extraordinary ones. I believe this is why we depend heavily on skilled storytellers and directors who bring their unique perspectives to this universe.

Since 2019’s release of The Rise of Skywalker, it appears that Star Wars films have taken a backseat, with numerous concepts being floated around or even confirmed. However, the status of projects like Rogue Squadron and Taika Waititi’s film seems uncertain, as they have either been delayed or potentially cancelled.

Kennedy admitted that finding a balance between official announcements and rumors is quite challenging, especially in the realm of Star Wars. Regarding Lucasfilm’s strategy, Kennedy clarified that they choose not to engage with rumors, instead dedicating their efforts to the active projects they are currently working on.

Indeed, managing information related to Star Wars can be challenging due to the high public interest. This leads to numerous rumors spreading, some of which are true and others false. During a conversation between Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling, this was humorously addressed. When it comes to addressing these rumors, our approach is simple: we don’t respond to any of them. Instead, we focus on discussing only the facts that we know are genuine, rather than spending time on speculation. This is essentially our strategy for handling such situations.

Although Kennedy expressed optimism about the upcoming Star Wars projects, there remains a good deal of uncertainty regarding their details. Daisy Ridley will reprise her role as Rey in a movie helmed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, but the 2025 Celebration provided no fresh insights. The new trilogy by Simon Kinberg, the Jedi origins film directed by James Mangold, and the Mando-verse crossover event led by Dave Filoni were scarcely mentioned during the event.

Is Disney Ruining Star Wars?

2015 saw “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” bring together fans spanning the cosmos. Although it was generally considered a safe film, adhering to many narrative elements from the 1977 release, it managed to captivate every viewer, setting a new record for box office success among all “Star Wars” movies up to that point.

Star Wars, under George Lucas’ guidance, unfolded Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into the Dark Side as Darth Vader. Though the concept was strong, some aspects of the implementation received criticism, especially in Episodes 1 and 2, with fans pointing out the acting and excessive use of green screens. In contrast, Revenge of the Sith has endured and returned to cinemas this spring, breaking records at the retro box office with unique popcorn containers.

As a movie enthusiast, what George Lucas brought to the Star Wars universe that seems to have been lacking in Disney’s interpretation is a solid sense of direction and narrative cohesion. Regardless of individual opinions on the films, the initial six episodes of the Skywalker Saga are well-structured, featuring ongoing characters and plotlines. Conversely, the Sequel Trilogy underwent numerous changes, rewrites, and improvisations between each new episode. As Kennedy noted, they completed the story Lucas began, but it wasn’t necessarily his tale.

The surge in streaming platforms hasn’t made things easier for Disney+, as they require an abundance of content and Star Wars offers a vast landscape of live-action and animated stories to explore. Kennedy’s cited “significant hurdle” stems from the oversaturation of TV content and the necessity for Star Wars to reappear on the big screen. The task now is to identify a central concept, determine what audiences desire, and hope that some fans remain after “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “The Acolyte” in order to follow this new path. Has Disney destroyed Star Wars? Not completely, but if the series continues without a clear direction, fans will increasingly miss Lucas’ ideas.

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2025-05-29 21:04