Kathleen Kennedy’s Star Wars Legacy: A Mix of Triumph and Turmoil

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  • A Long Time Ago…
  • Where Did Things Go Wrong for Kennedy and ‘Star Wars’?
  • Why Wasn’t Kathleen Kennedy Fired?
  • So What Is There to Make of Kennedy’s ‘Star Wars’ Run?

The period overseen by Kathleen Kennedy at Lucasfilm is drawing to a close, marking an exciting journey. In 2012, she took the helm at Lucasfilm following its acquisition by Disney, and the creative potential of Star Wars, even beyond the substantial financial transaction, was truly astounding. However, since then, the franchise has appeared creatively depleted, with disgruntled fans, numerous disappointments, and a striking absence of what made Star Wars so electrifying before the merger: unbridled excitement and anticipation.

Was Kennedy responsible for this situation? Given that Disney, a massive corporation, was backing her and she had to deal with an often fervent and unpredictable fanbase, she handled herself quite competently. However, looking back at Kennedy’s tenure as the captain of a complex ship (the Titanic being symbolic), it seems there were some missteps along the way. During her leadership, she oversaw a significant transformation in the industry and guided Star Wars into a new era. The results she achieved and left behind are a blend, to say the least. Before we can examine the successes and failures, let’s first establish the context. Let’s roll the opening credits…

A Long Time Ago…

Just in case you weren’t aware, “Star Wars” is the groundbreaking 1977 movie that revolutionized the film industry. To this day, we in the business world can’t help but operate under the immense influence of that first Star Destroyer that appeared in the opening scene. From the way films are marketed and constructed to the development of audio-visual effects, camera technology, and more, it’s clear that “Star Wars” and its creator, George Lucas, have profoundly shaped the modern cinematic landscape. Whether you admire it or not, that’s a fact.

For decades, the main factor fueling the popularity of Star Wars was the excitement surrounding new additions to the series. However, since Kennedy and Disney took charge of the franchise 13 years ago, the initial enthusiasm seems to have waned. This decline is partly due to the over-commercialization of every aspect of the brand, not just for merchandising purposes (a tactic that was a part of Lucas’s original groundbreaking strategy), but also because virtually every detail has been exploited for fresh storylines. This leaves creators in a challenging position – either they produce something stale or too dissimilar, walking a fine line that Kennedy and Disney didn’t fully understand back in 2012.

As a passionate Star Wars enthusiast, I’ve noticed that not all fans have been tuning in to the latest series like “The Acolyte” or “Skeleton Crew.” While some might argue this is due to waning hype, I believe it’s more about supply.

You see, churning out new Star Wars content means an abundance of merchandise, more opportunities to score a home run in the market. The strategy now appears to cater to the diverse tastes of today’s fragmented audience. It’s no longer about making one blockbuster movie for everyone; it’s about creating numerous streaming series, each tailored to different types of fans. Kennedy and the team have certainly learned this lesson the hard way. Let me explain further.

In essence, instead of casting a wide net with one big Star Wars film, they’re now focusing on creating a variety of series that cater to each fan segment. This approach seems to be in line with the reality of today’s marketplace where audiences are increasingly diverse and fragmented.

It’s worth mentioning that Kennedy is recognized as a significant filmmaking talent of her generation. She started her career as a producing partner with Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment, and their collaborations led to a cinematic style now referred to as “Amblin.” Later, she teamed up with husband Frank Marshall and achieved unprecedented success in producing various types of movies. Kennedy’s films have accumulated over $10 billion worldwide, making her an obvious contender for the role of leading Lucasfilm at Disney. However, things didn’t go as planned. A combination of factors within and beyond her control would ultimately change the course completely.

Where Did Things Go Wrong for Kennedy and ‘Star Wars’?

The excitement for Star Wars was running high as the first installment of a new trilogy, The Force Awakens, started its release. Both critics and enthusiasts were glad to move past the troubling prequels (Episodes 1-3). The original cast would make brief appearances, passing the lightsaber torch to a fresh group of actors such as Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, and John Boyega. They decided to incorporate some classic design aspects, plot points, and methods, which made JJ Abrams – a master at emulating Amblin/Spielberg styles – an ideal director, with Lawrence Kasdan, a veteran Lucasfilm writer, providing assistance… It seemed like everything was in capable hands.

In essence, “The Force Awakens” proved successful, yet upon closer inspection, signs of weakness were evident, serving as a warning similar to the canary in a coal mine. This film felt surprisingly unoriginal and stale, following almost identically to the earlier films. It was more reminiscent of a remake than a true sequel, perhaps better titled a “re-quel”. Despite being played by rising stars with immense talent, the characters seemed flat and underdeveloped. The climax left viewers hanging for the next installment in the trilogy. However, there was an unsettling instability about its foundation; it raised questions regarding whether it would truly bring anything new to the table.

In a striking departure from the initial direction set by J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson crafted a sequel to “The Last Jedi” that veered off in an entirely new and tonally distinct path. However, this fresh approach seemed to inadvertently bring back some of the problematic visual effects seen in the prequel era. Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) openly criticized his character’s storyline, sparking a divisive reaction among fans. This division escalated into something resembling a civil war, with fans resorting to harsh criticism and taunts towards women, people of color, and anything that seemed too different or unfamiliar. Essentially, the modern Star Wars found itself grappling with this duality: it needed to be unique yet familiar at the same time.

The movie “Rogue One” was a standalone film that revealed the Death Star plans. Despite mixed reactions, it was mainly enjoyed by older “Star Wars” fans. It showed that smaller-scale stories could still captivate audiences. However, the follow-up standalone film, “Solo,” didn’t do well. This wasn’t surprising because it tried to replicate Harrison Ford’s iconic role, which left many people puzzled. It’s unclear what lessons executives will learn from this failure. Perhaps a different recast might have worked, or maybe some characters are off-limits for rebooting or recasting. This seems strange when you consider how often Batman and Spider-Man have been recast without any major issues.

In 2019, when The Rise of Skywalker was released, its seven-year production period didn’t seem very robust. Originally, Colin Trevorrow was set to write and direct the film, but just beforehand, he was replaced by Chris Terrio and JJ Abrams. The final product was quite disorganized. It wasn’t the first instance of this during the run – Solo saw Lord and Miller stepping down for Ron Howard, while Rogue One initially had Gareth Edwards at the helm but allegedly passed control to Tony Gilroy midway through production. These frequent changes in creative leadership likely contribute to the inconsistent outcomes.

In stark contrast to several preceding movies, my personal take on “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” was that it failed to spark the same level of heated debates and polarizing opinions. Frankly, it did not resonate with many viewers in the way a great Star Wars film should. J.J. Abrams’ reputation as a significant contributor to the Star Wars universe has been somewhat dimmed by this production, and the feature film franchise seems to have hit a stumbling block ever since. No new installment has graced our screens since then.

Why Wasn’t Kathleen Kennedy Fired?

2019-2020 marked a significant transformation for the industry, and despite the initial challenges Kennedy faced during the first seven years, she managed to adapt and prosper. She had already demonstrated her success in the past, and while Star Wars might not have been satisfying fans and critics, it was still generating revenue. The merchandise was flourishing, and Disney was aggressively investing in expanding its parks, introducing a new Star Wars-themed land, as well as a unique and, eventually, problematic hotel/vacation concept.

Kennedy’s tenure would be granted more flexibility, as ensuring stability at this level was deemed more crucial than the events taking place on message boards or film review sites. The Star Wars/Lucasfilm franchise remained a significant financial investment, necessitating a capable individual to oversee greenlighting and content development for marketing and distribution across all Disney platforms.

Following the release of The Rise of Skywalker, Disney and Kennedy found success in unexpected ways during their non-movie years. They hit gold with a streaming series on Disney+ titled The Mandalorian. The creative force behind this was Jon Favreau, who had previously achieved greatness at Marvel. He managed to blend fan satisfaction with innovative storytelling, pleasing many while disappointing few. At the heart of the series were two enigmatic characters: a tough, masked protagonist voiced by Pedro Pascal and an adorable baby Yoda puppet that quickly captured the hearts of people worldwide, bringing in significant profits. Tink! Tink!

The Mandalorian served as a successful prototype for Star Wars streaming shows, and just like any smart business, they capitalized on their success by creating more seasons. Among these was a spin-off featuring the iconic character Boba Fett. As time passed, the prequels from the early 2000s were largely redeemed, with fans viewing them favorably following the disappointing Abrams/Kennedy sequel trilogy. This paved the way for an Obi-Wan Kenobi series featuring the popular actor Ewan McGregor reprising his role as Kenobi, alongside Hayden Christenson as Anakin/Darth Vader. Additionally, Dave Filoni, a talented animator who worked under George Lucas and created the acclaimed animated Clone Wars saga prior to Disney’s acquisition, became a significant figure in this new era of Star Wars storytelling.

In essence, Filoni, who knew the Star Wars universe intimately, was instrumental in incorporating his past creations into the new shows. Kennedy seemed to have discovered a format that catered to the contemporary audience fragmentation. However, as more series were produced, the freshness appeared to wane once more. Ahsoka didn’t garner much enthusiasm, The Acolyte stirred up controversial opinions, and Skeleton Crew, though decent, wasn’t widely viewed.

So What Is There to Make of Kennedy’s ‘Star Wars’ Run?

It wouldn’t be fair to solely attribute success or failure to her, given the vast changes in technology, market conditions, and the industry during her tenure. The year 2012 was dramatically different from what it is now, and her leadership spanned significant events like a major strike, a pandemic-induced shutdown, and a transformation of the entire film and streaming landscape. It’s challenging for any of us to fully understand the intricacies of her position. She found herself in a delicate balance between an intensely religious fanbase and a powerful conglomerate. Creative aspirations often collide with established lore and influential shareholders. Managing Star Wars isn’t just about telling engaging stories; it’s also about navigating the complexities of opinions, expectations, and practical limitations. In essence, it’s a precarious journey.

Despite the fact… it’s challenging not to ponder over numerous unseized chances. Many landmines were tripped upon. The disjointedness of her film series is overshadowed by the initial trilogy’s failure. Why didn’t they plan all three films simultaneously? The foundation was already set, yet they hastily produced and released these movies with minimal development and a lack of unity. Just glance over at the Marvel Cinematic Universe to see meticulous planning and execution that led to an impressive culmination. Was it all achievable? Certainly. However, Kennedy managed to reinvigorate Star Wars in popular culture. Let’s give credit where it’s due.

Although it’s not without its stumbles, it’s clear that we’ve entered a new phase for the Star Wars universe. What was once a series with a handful of highly anticipated releases has evolved into one with more misses than hits, mirroring changes in the times.

Kennedy’s departure doesn’t automatically imply that Star Wars and Lucasfilm are now thriving; it might simply mean that the era of baby boomers who truly grasped why Amblin and Lucasfilm initially succeeded has lost its voice. Perhaps she was skilled at making mid-course corrections and saving projects, and we can’t help but wonder if all the changes and last-minute decisions made since her departure have worsened the situation.

Much remains unseen and unknown to us, but Kennedy’s impact is undeniable – he paved the way for Star Wars in today’s era of streaming services and sprawling interconnected series. Rest assured, there will be even more Star Wars content coming your way. Regardless of one’s feelings about it, a blockbuster Star Wars movie release is something that harks back to an age long past in a distant galaxy.
Kennedy played a key role in bringing Star Wars into the era of streaming services and complex series. There will always be more Star Wars stories coming. Whether you love it or not, big-screen Star Wars movie releases are something that remind us of an old time in a faraway galaxy. You can now stream Star Wars on Disney+.

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2025-02-26 01:33