Despite speculation about Kathleen Kennedy’s potential departure due to the poor performance of ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Fate’, Lucasfilm has yet to make an official announcement regarding her termination.
Was Kathleen Kennedy fired from Lucasfilm?
As of now, Kathleen Kennedy remains president of Lucasfilm. Despite reports suggesting that her position may be in jeopardy due to the poor performance of Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny, Lucasfilm has not officially announced her dismissal.
Appointed by George Lucas in 2012, Kathleen Kennedy has overseen Lucasfilm’s operations since it was acquired by the Walt Disney Company. She played a key role in the production of various Star Wars films, including the new Star Wars trilogy, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story. Although Kennedy led the production of successful films such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the reception of some projects was mixed among fans.
The performance of Indiana Jones 5 at the box office will likely affect Kathleen Kennedy’s future. Currently directed by James Mangold, the film grossed approximately $154 million in its opening weekend. Given the popularity of the Indiana Jones franchise, these results are not optimal. With a reported production budget of $300 million, the film’s financial performance is not below expectations.
In the coming weeks, the box office results of Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny will likely play a significant role in determining Kathleen Kennedy’s future at Lucasfilm. The film’s financial outcome, along with projections of its overall success, will influence studio decisions. As of now, however, Kennedy remains an integral part of Lucasfilm.
Although there have been rumors and speculations about Kathleen Kennedy’s potential departure from Lucasfilm, she is currently still its president. The performance of Indiana Jones 5 will determine the studio’s decision-making process about its future. Fans are eagerly awaiting updates on the situation, as Kennedy’s tenure and the future of Star Wars content continue to be of great interest.
Is Kathleen Kennedy still working at Lucasfilm?
Kathleen Kennedy’s continued employment at Lucasfilm has been the subject of speculation, but it is important to clarify that she is indeed still working at the company, and there has been no official announcement regarding her departure or termination of the position.
After assuming the role of chairman in 2012, Kennedy was personally selected by George Lucas, the famed creator of Star Wars, to lead Lucasfilm and oversee its operations following its acquisition by The Walt Disney Company.
During her tenure, she was instrumental in the production of numerous Star Wars films, including the new Star Wars trilogy, as well as standalone films such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story. While some of those projects, most notably Star Wars: The Force Awakens, have seen significant success under Kennedy’s leadership, many of the recent ventures have received mixed reviews from fans.
The latest addition to this mixed reception is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The James Mangold-directed film earned $154 million in its opening weekend at the box office. Considering the popularity of the Indiana Jones franchise, these results are considered less than satisfactory. It’s worth noting that the production budget for Indiana Jones 5 was reportedly around $300 million, further highlighting the financial implications of its performance.
In conclusion, despite the constant rumors and speculation, Kathleen Kennedy remains an active part of Lucasfilm. The outcome of Indiana Jones and Dial of Destiny at the box office is likely to influence future decisions and assessments within the company. The mixed reception from fans, along with the financial aspects surrounding the film, could influence discussions about the direction of future projects and Kennedy’s continued role at Lucasfilm.
About Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC, an American film and television production company, was founded by director George Lucas in 1971 in San Rafael, California. Most of its operations were later moved to San Francisco in 2005. Lucasfilm currently operates as a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which falls under the Disney Entertainment umbrella and is ultimately owned by The Walt Disney Company.
The studio is widely known for creating and producing the extremely popular Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. Furthermore, Lucasfilm has been at the forefront of advances in special effects, sound engineering and computer animation for the motion picture industry.
Several films produced by Lucasfilm have achieved outstanding commercial success. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) are all included in the list of the 50 highest-grossing films of all time. Namely, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is considered the highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada.
Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm took place on October 30, 2012. The transaction was for $4.05 billion, which was paid for in a combination of cash and stock. The cash component was $1.855 billion, while the rest was in the form of Disney shares.
Overall, Lucasfilm’s lasting impact on the entertainment industry, particularly through its iconic franchises and pioneering advancements, has cemented its position as a significant player in the field of film and television production.
Who is Kathleen Kennedy?
Kathleen Kennedy, born June 5, 1953, is a prominent American film producer and president of Lucasfilm. She co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and her husband Frank Marshall in 1981.
Kennedy’s career as a producer took off with her first film, ET the Extra-Terrestrial, released in 1982. She went on to work again with Spielberg to produce the highly successful Jurassic Park franchise, with the first two films ranking among the top ten films. – movies that made money in the 1990s. In 1992, Kennedy and Marshall co-founded The Kennedy/Marshall Company.
On October 30, 2012, Kennedy assumed the role of president of Lucasfilm after it was acquired by the Walt Disney Company for $4.2 billion. In this capacity, she played a key role in overseeing the development, production and publication of various significant projects. This includes the Star Wars trilogy consisting of The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
Kennedy has also produced standalone Star Wars films such as Rogue One (2016) and Solo (2018). In addition, she oversaw the fifth installment of the Indiana Jones series, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which is slated for release in 2023. Additionally, Kennedy has co-produced acclaimed Star Wars series for Disney+, such as The Mandalorian (2019–present), The Book of Boba Fett (2021), Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Andor (2022–present).
Kennedy’s contribution as a producer has achieved enormous success, particularly through her collaboration with Steven Spielberg. The films they worked on together grossed more than $11 billion at the box office worldwide, including five entries among the fifty highest-grossing films in film history. Her achievements have earned her eight nominations for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the motion picture industry, Kathleen Kennedy was honored with the 2018 Irving G. Thalberg Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Name | Kennedy |
Born | June 5, 1953 (age 70) |
Birth place | Berkeley, California, USA |
Occupation | Film producer |
Years active | 1979-present |
Employer | Lucasfilm (2012-present) |
Title | President, Lucasfilm Ltd. |
Husband | Frank Marshall (m. 1987) |
children | 2 |
Career of Kathleen Kennedy
From 1978 to 2011, Kathleen Kennedy’s career in the film industry flourished, marked by her involvement in various notable projects. After working at KCST, she moved on to produce the local talk show You’re On for four years before moving to Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, she secured her first film production position, working as an assistant to John Milius, the executive producer of Steven Spielberg’s 1941 (1979).
During her work under Milius in 1941, Kennedy caught Spielberg’s attention. In Spielberg’s own words, he was impressed by her organizational skills, although he jokingly noted that she was not particularly adept at taking notes. Instead, she possessed a talent for interrupting conversations with creative ideas.
This led Spielberg to invite Kennedy to become his secretary, and over time she gradually took on more significant roles in the filmmaking process. She was credited as an associate producer on Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and then worked as an associate producer on Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist (1982), a Spielberg production.
Kennedy’s production credit with Spielberg began with the hugely successful ET the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), which marked the beginning of a fruitful three-decade collaboration. In 1982, together with Spielberg and her future husband Frank Marshall, she founded Amblin Entertainment.
Along with Spielberg, Kennedy produced films such as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), the Back to the Future trilogy, and films directed by such notable directors as Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis, Barry Levinson, and Clint Eastwood. During this period she also produced non-Spielberg films, including The Bridges of Madison County (1995), Twister (1996) and The Sixth Sense (1999).
Kennedy’s collaboration with Spielberg extended to films such as War of the Worlds and Munich (both 2005), the latter of which earned her an Oscar nomination. She and Marshall were producers on the American versions of two Studio Ghibli animated films, Ponyo (2009) and The Secret World of Arrietty (2012). Additionally, she produced Spielberg’s Lincoln (2012), which received numerous award nominations.
In May 2012, Kennedy made the decision to leave Kennedy/Marshall, leaving Frank Marshall as the sole director of their film company. However, the following month she took over as co-chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd., alongside George Lucas. When Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney on October 30, 2012, Kennedy was promoted to the role of chairman. In 2018, her contract as president of Lucasfilm was extended for an additional three years, keeping her in the position until October 30, 2021.
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Categories: General
Source: HIS Education