Star Wars: Lucasfilm President Unsure How Long She’ll Stay at the Studio

When Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters a month from now it will bring an end to the Skywalker saga but also some uncertainty as to the future of the franchise. Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who had been tapped to write and produce a new trilogy, exited the project. With Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie not coming anytime soon where things go now, and how long it will take to get there is question without answer. It’s also not the only uncertainty, at least when it comes to Lucasfilm. Studio president Kathleen Kennedy is herself unsure how long she’ll stay at Lucasfilm.

Speaking with Rolling Stone in a new interview about the Star Was franchise, its future, and The Rise of Skywalker, Kennedy admitted that as much of a question mark as the franchise’s future, she also doesn’t know what her own future holds with Lucasfilm but is focused on the present.

“I’ve really enjoyed this, I have to say. It’s been incredibly exciting,” Kennedy said of her time with Lucasfilm. “And just the fact that George [Lucas] asked me to do this, I felt a tremendous responsibility with stepping in and taking care of the franchise, and if there were going to be new movies, to really pull a team around this that cared as much as he did. What happens in the future and how long and how much longer I do this? I don’t know yet. I’m looking at all of that.”

Kennedy went on to say where things are now is satisfying, especially with having the Skywalker saga completed.

“It’s been incredibly satisfying to reach this point where we’ve completed the saga and, I think, made a really wonderful movie,” she continued. “It’s going to feel very satisfying to the audience. So that’s what I’m focused on right at the moment — and what the future holds, who knows.”

While Kennedy is focused on the moment, her time at Lucasfilm isn’t a complete mystery, though. Back in September 2018 it was reported that Kennedy had received a contract extension, putting her in control of Lucasfilm at least until 2021 and while things have changed a bit in terms of the franchise’s movie plans since then, there’s no shortage major projects at Lucasfilm that will keep Kennedy busy to 2021 and potentially even beyond. Star Wars: The Mandalorian just kicked off on Disney+ and there are other series in the works, including a planned Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Outside of Star Wars, there’s also a fifth film in the Indiana Jones franchise with Harrison Ford and Stephen Spielberg set to return. That film is set to start filming in April 2020.

The new film in the Star Wars saga, and the official end of the Skywalker storyline, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, hits theaters on December 20th.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is directed by J.J. Abrams and also stars Daisey Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Carrie Fisher, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams, Joonas Suotamo, Anthony Daniels, Jimmy Vee, Dave Chapman, Brian Herring, Mark Hamill, Billie Lourd, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Keri Russell, Dominic Monaghan, and Greg Grunberg.