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[Cheebo]

Lucas wasn't kidding this time about his retirement. He named his successor to take over the reigns of Lucasfilm and the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises. Kathleen Kennedy is best known as being a close long-time producer for Steven Spielberg of films like E.T., Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Schindler's List, Tintin, Munich, etc.

When he was talking about retirement I didn't realize just how quickly and serious he was. A pretty interesting and surprising choice in Kathleen Kenendy. It is going to be a interesting time to watch where Lucasfilm and in particular Star Wars goes in the post-Lucas era with her in charge.

She will become the full CEO as Lucas himself fully transitions completely away from Lucasfilm over the next two years.

SAN FRANCISCO—Filmmaker George Lucas on Friday named veteran producer Kathleen Kennedy as his co-chair and successor at the iconic film studio he founded four decades ago.

Kennedy and Lucas will serve as board co-chairs at Lucasfilm Ltd. as the "Star Wars" creator moves forward with his retirement plans.

Lucas, 68, will continue as CEO and work with Kennedy as she transitions into her new role at Lucasfilm, the San Francisco-based company said.

The legendary filmmaker said he chose Kennedy as his successor because he was looking for "someone with great creative passion and proven leadership abilities, but also someone who loves movies."


"I've spent my life building Lucasfilm, and as I shift my focus into other directions, I wanted to make sure it was in the hands of someone equipped to carry my vision into the future," Lucas said in a statement.

In recent months, Lucas has told reporters he plans to move away from producing big-budget movies so he can focus on smaller, art-house films.

Kennedy will step down from her role at The Kennedy/Marshall Co. and shift responsibilities to her partner Frank Marshall. Together they have produced Academy Award-nominated films such as "War Horse," "The Adventures of Tintin," "The Sixth Sense" and "Sea Biscuit."

Over the past three decades, Kennedy has worked with Steven Spielberg to produce blockbuster films such as "E.T.," "Schindler's List," and the "Indiana Jones" and "Jurassic Park" franchises.

Kennedy, 58, said she feels fortunate that Lucas will work with her for the "next year or two" as she moves into her new job.

"It is nice to have Yoda by your side," Kennedy said in a statement. "George and I have talked about the enormous opportunities that lie ahead for the company, and as George moves towards retirement I am honored that he trusts me with taking care of the beloved film franchises."

Since Lucas founded Lucasfilm in 1971, it has grown into an international entertainment company that produces movies and television shows, designs interactive software, and provides visual effects and audio post-production services.

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/art...e_lucas_names_kennedy_as_lucasfilm_successor/

 

[Discotheque]

And so...redemption begins.

But seriously George Lucas (despite some of his crap ass films) has left an infinitely lasting legacy in film whether people like it or not.

 

[Solo]

No Lucas-involvement Indy pls

 

[GhostWriter24]

No Lucas-involvement Indy pls

 

[Leeroy3101]

Just sell the company to Disney, George.

 

[Messypandas]

is he dying? this all seems really sudden

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Yes!! Thank you Lucas for all the good times but damn, it's time to go in a mediocre note since the high note is way past it.

 

[Cheebo]

No Lucas-involvement Indy pls

Well that is pretty much setting that up to be pretty easy. Kathleen Kennedy has a pretty decent relationship with Spielberg to put it mildly.

is he dying? this all seems really sudden

It IS really sudden. Less than a week after talking about wanting to retire to Empire he announces his public retirement from Lucasfilm and his successor as CEO. Something feels odd about how quickly he is doing this but hey. Should be interesting to see what she does with the Star Wars franchise now that Lucas is gone.

 

[Escape Goat]

He's been Stan Lee'd.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

No Lucas-involvement Indy pls

We already got a Tintin trilogy happening right now. Gotta wait for dat third movie for Stevie again though.

 

[Anth0ny]

I wonder if she'll release Star Wars on blu ray

 

[Escape Goat]

I wonder if she'll release Star Wars on blu ray

I'm missing the joke part.

 

[TheKaeptain]

Guys, he's been talking about retiring for a few years now. I don't think it is as sudden as everyone thinks.

 

[Cheebo]

We already got a Tintin trilogy happening right now. Gotta wait for dat third movie for Stevie again though.

Spielberg is happily directing other movies post first Tintin so that doesn't seem to be keeping him busy. It is pretty damn quick to direct a Tintin movie.

I gotta say I am curious with you as a big Spielberg fanboy of sorts how you feel about one of those closest in the inner Spielberg circle for the past 30+ years taking over Lucasfilm.

 

[bengraven]

Later on Papa Nerda.

 

[Solo]

In reality, I know there won't be another Indy movie. At least not a Spielberg one. He'll spout some horseshit about it being a team affair between him and George and not wanting to do it without George.

If there is another Indy, it will be sans Lucas, sans Spielberg, and sans Ford. Book it. My money is on a reboot within the next 5 years.

 

[Cheebo]

In reality, I know there won't be another Indy movie. At least not a Spielberg one. He'll spout some horseshit about it being a team affair between him and George and not wanting to do it without George.

If there is another Indy, it will be sans Lucas, sans Spielberg, and sans Ford. Book it. My money is on a reboot within the next 5 years.

You really think Kennedy would reboot it without Spielberg when she has produced so many of his movies?

 

[PhoncipleBone]

In reality, I know there won't be another Indy movie. At least not a Spielberg one. He'll spout some horseshit about it being a team affair between him and George and not wanting to do it without George.

If there is another Indy, it will be sans Lucas, sans Spielberg, and sans Ford. Book it. My money is on a reboot within the next 5 years.

No one in their right mind would attempt it.

 

[Solo]

You really think Kennedy would reboot it without Spielberg when she has produced so many of his movies?

Like I said, Speilberg is a sentimental bastard. He won't do Indy without Lucas.

 

[Cheebo]

Yeah I agree, he won't do it without Lucas. Which is why I don't think there will ever be one. Spielberg won't do it without Lucas, Kennedy won't do it to not piss off Spielberg. If there is anything she'd try to make a name for herself to try to show its time to move on from the Lucas era it'd with it'd probably be Star Wars anyway.

 

[TheKaeptain]

I'm going to agree with Solo here. No Indy without Lucas.

 

[Solo]

I'm going to agree with Solo here. No Indy without Lucas.

But I'm not saying that exactly. I'm saying no Spielberg Indy without Lucas. But I do think the franchise is too lucrative to just abandon, hence my reboot prediction.

 

[Escape Goat]

But I'm not saying that exactly. I'm saying no Spielberg Indy without Lucas. But I do think the franchise is too lucrative to just abandon, hence my reboot prediction.

We'll just have to wait for Uncharted movie. Nathan Drake is the Indy for today's generation.

 

[Cheebo]

But I'm not saying that exactly. I'm saying no Spielberg Indy without Lucas. But I do think the franchise is too lucrative to just abandon, hence my reboot prediction.

Or another tv show.

We'll just have to wait for Uncharted movie. Nathan Drake is the Indy for today's generation.

Indiana Jones is the Indiana Jones of todays generation. There is no question more people under 25 have seen a Indiana Jones movie than played a Uncharted game.

 

[Solo]

Or another tv show.

Perhaps this too, which wouldn't be the worst idea I've heard. An HBO Indy series with 10-12 episode seasons could be a really interesting idea.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Spielberg is happily directing other movies post first Tintin so that doesn't seem to be keeping him busy. It is pretty damn quick to direct a Tintin movie.

I gotta say I am curious with you as a big Spielberg fanboy of sorts how you feel about one of those closest in the inner Spielberg circle for the past 30+ years taking over Lucasfilm.

Spielberg is doing other movies right now, yes. But then they had already agreed that Jackson would direct the second Tintin film which he will begin shooting immediately after The Hobbit. Spielberg has already said he wants to direct the third film.

I think it's a good thing that Kennedy is taking over Lucasfilm, though it doesn't really affect me. Better than somebody like McCallum, I suppose.

 

[Escape Goat]

Or another tv show.



Indiana Jones is the Indiana Jones of todays generation. There is no question more people under 25 have seen a Indiana Jones movie than played a Uncharted game.

Did you do some kind of study or something? how are you so sure?

 

[Cheebo]

Did you do some kind of study or something? how are you so sure?

Because Raiders is one of the most popular films of all time to this day? Uncharted is a exclusive video game on a PS3. It is no comparison. At all. Not to mention game sales are extremely minor compared to the movie industry. It's a crazy comparison.

Ask 100 random people under 25, (yes including women) who Indiana Jones is. And 100 random people under 25 who Nathan Drake is. You think more would know who Drake is? Really?

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Did you do some kind of study or something? how are you so sure?

Indy 4 box office receipts are a pretty good study.

 

[BFIB]

Knowing Lucas, I'm pretty sure he'll have certain things that his successors can and can't do. I would be money that never releasing the unaltered versions of the Holy Trilogy is on the list.

 

[Cheebo]

Kennedy says she plans to have Lucasfilm release more movies than when Lucas ran things. Including possibly Indiana Jones 5. So it seems she may not be so against going ahead with Indiana Jones with Lucas now out of the picture:
http://io9.com/5915196/lucasfilms-new-chairwoman-wants-the-studio-to-make-more-movies

 

[LegendofJoe]

Indiana Jones is great, but I want more Star Wars.

 

[Escape Goat]

Indiana Jones is great, but I want more Star Wars.

Need a Tie Fighter-based movie where he starts out in the Empire and goes over to the Rebellion. Have the movie start with Endor and go from there. Instant profit.

 

[shintoki]

Indiana Jones should have been the same as Bond. Fuck the reboot, just cast a new mid 30's guy in the role and make another adventure.

 

[SteveWinwood]

Need a Tie Fighter-based movie where he starts out in the Empire and goes over to the Rebellion. Have the movie start with Endor and go from there. Instant profit.

I'd see it. Cover the confusion and the empire falling apart around him. That could be awesome.

Could.

It wouldn't actually be.

At this point Wing Commander is just Star Wars to me if that makes sense.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Indiana Jones should have been the same as Bond. Fuck the reboot, just cast a new mid 30's guy in the role and make another adventure.

Wat.

Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones.

 

[StalkerUKCG]

Star wars needs to ignore the majority of EU and make a new movie set like 1000 years after ROTJ, no previous characters new sith v jedi war. Likeable characters, good plots more military involvement ect.

 

[LiK]

GREAT NEWS. The tyranny is over.

 

[Dany]

Does this mean that Indy or Star Wars might move foward without him> Can this mean a new direction for both of them?

 

[Woorloog]

Need a Tie Fighter-based movie where he starts out in the Empire and goes over to the Rebellion. Have the movie start with Endor and go from there. Instant profit.

That sounds awesome.
The SW live action series is going onward, right? And it is going to (according to some sources) include time traveling. Why do they have to make that shit whey they could make something awesome?

 

[LegendofJoe]

Need a Tie Fighter-based movie where he starts out in the Empire and goes over to the Rebellion. Have the movie start with Endor and go from there. Instant profit.

I like it, no question about the profit part too. It would be a Star Wars movie after all. I'd be surprised if they went this route though. If an episode 7 is ever made I suspect they'll keep the focus on their original trilogy characters - Luke, Leia, and Han.

Star wars needs to ignore the majority of EU and make a new movie set like 1000 years after ROTJ, no previous characters new sith v jedi war. Likeable characters, good plots more military involvement ect.

This would be incredible.

 

[SketchTheArtist]

If she can greenlight a digital remaster for the original untouched trilogy and release it on Blu-ray with a sorry note, I'm all for it.

 

[Anticitizen One]

Time to reboot the whole Star Wars franchise

 

[Woorloog]

If she can greenlight a digital remaster for the original untouched trilogy and release it on Blu-ray with a sorry note, I'm all for it.

I don't need that sorry note. Hell, i'd be fine with remastered - actually, even that isn't needed, Special Editions of the movies (i like those, i just ignore the cantina fight).

 

[JB1981]

He fucked up Star Wars beyond repair and then quit. World's biggest troll

 

[bengraven]

Time to reboot the whole Star Wars franchise

No need.

They just need to make side stories, one shot movies with all star directors and stars. They can't go wrong. It will literally be millions if not billions of dollars.

 

[fallengorn]

If she can greenlight a digital remaster for the original untouched trilogy and release it on Blu-ray with a sorry note, I'm all for it.

If she gives it to us... hallelujah.

 

[Flynn]

Wat.

Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones.

And Harrison Ford sucks now.

 

[Solo]

Wat.

Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones.

They said the same thing about Sean Connery.

 

[WARP10CK]

I am all for this Kathleen Kennedy has been in the industry for a long time and I wish her the best in her efforts.