FSW Exclusive: Kathleen Kennedy Is Icing Everyone Out
The silence is deafening at Lucasfilm headquarters, where embattled president Kathleen Kennedy continues to give everyone the cold shoulder. The once vocal champion of a new Star Wars era — designed with diversity in mind — has gone quiet. Insiders say Kennedy hasn’t spoken a word for months, with various facial expressions and the occasional emoji serving as her only forms of direct communication.
The “Silent Era,” as one Lucasfilm employee put it, began in earnest after Solo: A Star Wars Story released in cinemas. The spinoff film took a beating at the box office, with many fans and media outlets wondering whether backlash from Rian Johnson’s divisive film The Last Jedi played a part in Solo’s underperformance. Worse still, Lucasfilm’s loudest critics were pinning the blame directly on Kennedy for forcing political ideologies in the new Star Wars films under Disney.
“She will give us an icy stare occasionally, which we’ve learned to translate with some degree of accuracy. It’s not like we have a choice though. We’ve tried hand signs or pantomimes, but she just crosses her arms and looks away, usually out the window,” said a Lucasfilm Story Group member.
Kennedy’s notable silence has left many wondering how the franchise will make it past what’s arguable its roughest patch during her tenure. As of this writing, the mega producer has not had anything to do with Star Wars: Episode IX, leaving J.J. Abrams to his own devices. This is a far cry from the producer-led formula Kennedy employed on The Force Awakens, Rogue One and Solo.
Even her husband Frank Marshall, a legendary producer in his own right, has been iced out. “She’ll pick up the phone when he calls, and just breathe but that’s about it,” said an insider. Recently, however, our sources claim Marshall managed to thaw a bit of the ice recently. Upon liking a tweet critical of Disney CEO Bob Iger for throwing Kennedy under the bus, Marshall was rewarded later that evening with a single word.
“She ‘Harrumphed’ at him on the phone, but let me tell you it was the talk of the studio all week. Friggin’ amazing progress. I think if we all show her some support, we can get her talking or at least wearing shirts with words on them again sometime before Episode IX hits.”
There you have it. The Kennedy ice storm may soon be over. What do you think has got Kat’s tongue? Will she Let It Go and make a statement in the near future? Let us know in the comments or hit us up on social media!
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