Former Star Wars Boss Kathleen Kennedy Lands First New Role After Lucasfilm Departure

Published Oct 28, 2026, 5:35 PM EDT Matthew Rudoy is one of ScreenRant's Movie & TV News Editors. He covers the latest in movie & TV news, with a focus on major franchises like Star Wars, The Boys, and Game of Thrones, and also writes some features and reviews. He wrote lists for ScreenRant from 2017-2022, became a news writer in 2023, a senior staff writer in 2024, and an editor in 2025. After departing from Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is taking on a new role. Following Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, Kennedy was chosen by George Lucas to be president of the company, a role she served in until stepping down in January 2026. During her tenure, Kennedy produced all live-action Star Wars movies and shows, from The Force Awakens to Andor, along with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Disney+'s Willow series. Earlier in her career, she co-founded Amblin Entertainment, where she produced films such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Hook, and Jurassic Park. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kennedy has now been selected to be the head of ceremonies and content for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. She is replacing Peter Rice after he was named Netflix's new chief content officer responsible for overseeing the streamer's scripted and unscripted shows, films, and live events. Rice will still be involved in the Olympics as an executive producer, though. Kennedy will be responsible for developing the opening and closing ceremonies for the back-to-back games, amounting to four individual events that will be watched by billions internationally. Between early development to production, the former Lucasfilm president will be involved in the process from start to finish alongside a team that features executive producer and creative director Ben Winston and Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies producer Scott Givens. Casey Wasserman, the chairperson and president of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, shared a statement explaining why Kennedy was the perfect selection for the position. Check out his statement below: Kathleen is a legend. She is one of Hollywood’s all-time greats, with a rare gift for storytelling. When the stars align to focus the world’s attention on Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I can’t think of anyone better to conjure the magic of Hollywood than Kathleen. Kennedy replied to Wasserman's statement with praise for his "bold vision" of what the 2028 Olympics “can mean for Los Angeles and the world. The Olympics have been a touchstone in my life. My husband, Frank Marshall, and I have attended virtually every games since Los Angeles in 1984, and sport remains one of the great unifying experiences we share." She added that "Peter Rice has laid a terrific foundation, and I can’t wait to get to work with Ben Winston, our creative director, and the whole LA28 team. These games are rooted in Los Angeles, but with events from Oklahoma City to LA28’s six incredible soccer/football cities, all of America gets to host the world’s finest athletes, and I’m honored to help celebrate every Olympian and Paralympian who come to compete.” While Kennedy is widely associated with Star Wars and Amblin, she is further connected to the Olympics as a producer of the short documentary Olympic Glory that is centered on the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano. Her husband, producer Frank Marshall, also received an Olympic Shield in 2005 after serving on the U.S. Olympic Committee for over a decade. Rearrange the movies into the correct US release order. As for when Kennedy's new work can be seen, the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games is on July 14, 2028, followed by the closing ceremony on July 30. The Paralympics opening ceremony will be on August 15, 2028, while the closing ceremony will be on August 27. Even though Kennedy stepped down as the president of Lucasfilm in January, she is still a producer of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, which released in theaters on May 22, and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, whose theatrical release is May 27, 2027, as both projects were greenlit, developed, and filmed during her tenure. Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan are now the co-presidents of Lucasfilm. Along with all the Disney-era Star Wars live-action projects to date, E.T., Hook, and Jurassic Park, Kathleen Kennedy has also produced Raiders of the Lost Ark, Gremlins, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Goonies, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Noises Off, Schindler's List, The Sixth Sense, and Lincoln. Kathleen Kennedy