Speculation Kennedy possibly out in September?

With all this said,This could very well lead to more of a greater chance for the old republic treatment of mulitple movies and tv shows

 

See, this is a sentiment I agree with. The area where you and I part ways is in the following:

Nit-picking and analyzing something is not solely exclusive to Star Wars, nor is it exclusively rooted in a place in negativity. The Star Trek fandom has been picking apart and over-analyzing their chosen work for years---they love the original series and Next Generation, and yet you'll still find plenty of them who will put every episode under high scrutiny and pick apart things like continuity errors, character inconsistencies, ship layout, and other such minutia. And they'll do this not out of pure, rancid toxicity---but out of passion. Obsessing over small details is not unique to Star Wars, it's practically endemic to nerd culture.

And I think it's a bit condescending to assume that these criticisms and analyses stem from the self-flagellating notion that they can write the story better themselves. I'm sure people like RedLetterMedia think that...they're certainly hacky enough...but that's rarely the case for the bulk of the fans. They just believe that they and the franchise deserve far better...and given the immense wealth, resources, star-power, and opportunity at Lucasfilm's disposal, it is absolutely justifiable to expect them to do better, and to critically pick them apart when they fail to do so.

I don't know about you, but I was very, very attentive to things like continuity and accuracy when I was a kid. Growing up, one of my all time favorite TV series was the Disney Cartoon, Gargoyles. And that show blended things like syndicated crime drama, mythology, fantasy and history into its story, and I would spend hours homing in on in-universe details from episode to episode, just amazed at how consistent and well-framed it all was like a perfect tapestry. You wouldn't know it by the way that networks pollute modern airtime with trashy cartoon shows today, but kids actually like being taken seriously as an audience by their movies and shows of choice.

That's one of the major reasons I really enjoyed the prequels growing up. They required you to absorb every detail, every scrap of political intrigue, every aspect of the Old Republic to really grasp the world's transition into the OT...they required absolute attention to be enjoyed, and that's what I liked about them.

With the new movies, it's almost like you have to turn your brain off and pay less attention to get the most enjoyment out of them...which is just the antithesis to Star Wars as an essence for me.

The DCEU was already in murky waters because Man of Steel left so many people mixed and polarized. It wasn't until BvS and Suicide Squad got the ball rolling that people grew more and more outspoken about its flaws, and even common non-comic book reading laymen began to be vocal about its poor quality.

Star Wars, on the other hand, had nothing but sky-high optimism following TFA. It really was a honeymoon period where you couldn't say one negative thing about the new direction, even around forums like these. It had its jaded detractors like me, but everyone largely liked it, if nothing else for the promises it was setting up in Episode 8 (an aspect of the film's hype I found to be a ludicrous justification for the film's shortcomings even when before TLJ was out, I might add). And then when TLJ came out and..."rewarded" everyone's expectations with its newfound plot threads and revelations, I don't think anyone was afraid to be vocal about the lapses of the new direction anymore.

The prime difference between DCEU and Star Wars is that there have been and will be several, non-linked iterations of DC comic films for years to come. The shortcomings of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace had little to do with Man of Steel. But the problems introduced in Star Wars are essentially permanent, and will continue to be relevant since Disney plans to release these movies annually through 2030.

DC can and likely will get multiple, unrelated reboots to improve. Star Wars won't.

No one is doubting the commitment or passion of the people involved in making these films...it's their competence in delivering something of quality. Zack Snyder and the writers for BvS have a very recognizable passion for the film they made---there's references to Dante's Inferno, the duality of man, Greek Mythology, American Revolution parallels, and influence from classic poetry like The Hollow Men. That's a wonderful array of artistic influences, and I commend their passion for such works...but that didn't save the film from being a convoluted and nonsensical dumpster fire. I'm sure Zack Snyder's a really nice guy, and he was quite passionate for the work he put in that film, but that doesn't change my opinion of the film he made. An even better example: I admire and respect George Lucas tremendously...his passion for myth and history is what inspired me to pursue writing as a hobby and to make stories of my own these days. But his passion for 50's sci-fi hokiness and alien invader storylines did not salvage Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for me, and I'm not afraid to criticize him or hold him accountable for the poor decisions he made with that movie.

Rian Johnson decided to use elements of Rashomon in TLJ because he has a passion for that film. Good for him. I like Feudal Japanese jidaigeki films and taiga dramas arguably more than he does. But that passion didn't save any of the objectively poor and personally undesirable aspects of the film in the slightest.

Passion is an irrelevant factor as far as the quality of a film goes. I'm not going to clap my hands like a trained seal at the poor quality in a film, let alone for a franchise I hold to a very high standard, simply because the director or writer had a fun time making a bad product.

And simply waving off the bad quality in a film like TLJ with "that's the way it goes" isn't particularly productive for those of us who are unhappy, and want better quality in our Star Wars.

I've got a startling revelation to make for you: that is exactly how you get companies and filmmakers to improve. I'm not at all a fan of the vitriolic backlash towards Jar Jar Binks that ensued following TPM back in 1999, but one positive effect it had was that it convinced George Lucas to dial down his involvement in the plot of the future prequels. And as someone who's far more interested in Anakin's downfall, Obi-Wan's growth, the corruption of the Republic and the Clone Wars, I think that was a positive course correction.

People's vocal backlash (not to mention the financial decline) against the DCEU gave Warner Bros. a much needed wake-up call. They've fired over 50 top staff members that were heralding the DC films up to that point, have re-evaluated their planned direction of the franchise, and are now committed to making smaller-scale, origin style hero films to better accommodate people's issues with the movies. Continuous criticism from both fans and casual viewers alike created that outcome, and even though Justice League wasn't exactly a cinematic masterpiece or financial triumph, it was MILES better than their previous attempts like BvS and Suicide Squad. And that's to say nothing about the unprecedented success Wonder Woman turned out to be.

There is no guarantee that Lucasfilm will take any of the complaints from mouth-breathing dorks like us seriously, and given their response to polarizing reactions, I don't expect them to. But even if it gets them to change their mind even remotely about their approach to the new films and canon, then that's fan outcry paying off.

There has to be something there to be enjoyed in the first place. Having a positive attitude about things is healthy and all, but there's a limit for even the most dedicated. I didn't waltz into the new films or canon with the expectation to hate them--my tolerance for different or questionable things in Star Wars is pretty high.

Believe me, it took seven viewings of TFA before I finally stopped lying to myself about enjoying the film. I hated the new direction of these movies---and in any other instance, my stance on the matter would stop there. Unfortunately, with the decanonization of the EU and the annual abuse this franchise is going to suffer with its filmic release schedule all throughout the next decade, I don't have a choice when it comes to being reminded of it.

It's funny you mention that, because I get so enamored and passionate about things like Star Wars because I absolutely hate politics to the point where I have no views or leanings to spare. I prefer to live my life neutrally and engage in far-fetched escapism.

And it's because of that passion that I refuse to settle for mediocrity or poor content. Especially when an entire canon that I loved and was invested in for years was literally made defunct to allow this new material of significantly poorer quality to exist.

I'll never get political or idealogical when it comes to Star Wars because I never have been. My ability to unconditionally love the franchise, even aspects that infuriated so many, is a testament to how open I'm willing to be in taking it to new directions. But as a consumer and fan, you can bet that I'll treat it as a serious issue when that direction is such a terrible one.

I have nothing of relevance to add in regards to that part of the Star Wars fanbase, but I can assure everyone and anyone on this forum that my qualms with the Sequel Trilogy have nothing to do with politics, left or right. I can't be bothered with political leanings or discussions in real life, and you can bet that I won't take them with me to my bunker of nerd hobbies.

My enjoyment of content or work has never predicated on my ability to politically-identify with the creators. Both Gods and Generals and Deus Ex are works of media that were produced by extremely right and left-leaning people, respectively. I don't share their views, because I'm not researched, informed, or passionate enough to form political views of my own. And whatever views the creators of said work DID NOT prohibit or impact their ability to tell a good story, or a provide an engaging experience.

Make no mistake: my qualms with Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson, and the Lucasfilm Story Group has never had anything to do with politics. My relationship with them is purely as a paying consumer. They could be literal neo-Nazis, and I'd still be angrier at them for wasting my time and money with the filmic black holes they have produced since 2015. Whatever they do or believe in their own time is their own business, and has nothing to do with the poor decisions they've made so far when conveying the Star Wars continuity and mythos.

I pay for good stories, wholesome experiences, and well-crafted escapism. That is all I care about as a fan--not behind the scenes minutia like political leanings or creative talent being "SJW's." That isn't even close to the top of my list of priorities when it comes to Star Wars.

I never perceived your input as a personal attack on me. I'm sure it must be frustrating for those in favor of the ST to see all this negativity surrounding the new films. But honestly, these days, I see more hostility towards people who dislike the ST than those in favor of it. Fans of the new films are not in some small, victimized corner of the fandom whatsoever. There's a healthy split between people who like and loathe the sequels, and is nowhere NEAR the disproportionate outnumbering of those who hated the prequels to those who liked them. At least these days you can have a healthy, evenly-matched debate between someone who dislikes and likes TLJ. If you showcased even a little interest or defense of the prequels in the last decade, you'd pretty much get ousted for "not being a true fan" or "having poor taste in film." ST Defenders have plenty of critics and news sites that will happily share the same stance and satisfy a plea to authority.

People who dislike the ST are increasingly painted by the likes of Screen Rant, CB.net and Collider as the bizarre, unpleasable minority that should not only be ignored, but disregarded as an irrelevant opinion on the matter of Star Wars. A sentiment that's increasing to not just news outlets, but active contributors to the Lucasfilm brand like authors, voice actors, and directors as well.

It's literally the same phenomenon as being a Prequel-defender. You're ousted as a leper.

It doesn't matter if the film was successful, what matters is if it satisfied Disney's expectations. No one would look at the box office earnings of Avengers: Age of Ultron and deem THAT a financial blunder. The film was a box-office rocket, and was one of the most profitable films the year it came out. To any laymen like us, that would be considered an easy success. And yet, just because it made $200 million less than the first Avengers film, it was enough to oust Joss Whedon as director and replace him with the Russo Brothers.

Disney, and more importantly its shareholders, have their own measuring stick of what constitutes as success.

I dunno, I was happy as a clam in the ten years following ROTS. I loved 1-6, and all I ever needed beyond that was the EU and the continuing relevance of the brand through animated and live-action TV to keep me satisfied.

 

Yah there's no way Kennedy is leaving her post until Episode IX is out.

 

Feige's contract with Marvel expires at the end of 2019, right as Episode IX is coming out. Maybe Feige takes over Lucasfilm in January 2020.

 

The whole thing is screaming of a ploy to get people to pay the membership fee.

 

KK doesn't deserve any of the abuse, but I feel a new role for her or a president would be a good move for Star Wars

 

This is just a rumor, of course. It seems highly unlikely they would get rid of her right now, or that she would step down on her own accord. I say she might be out after the release of IX. That would give her 7 years as a President of Lucasfilm and retirement at 66.

 

I just don’t see Feige leaving Marvel. He knows he has a really good thing going over there and if he leaves for Star Wars there is no saying if he or anyone can “fix” (I don’t think it needs fixing) the franchise.

 

If they reckoned October or November I'd put 5% more credence on it as it would be nearer the seventh anniversary of the sale of Lucasfilm, so would fit a theory of there being a condition on the sale that KK stayed in post for at least a certain number of years.

 

Fervor for KK to be let go is kind of upsetting. Not knowing KK personally, not being a fly on the wall in all her decision making processes, etc. I can see no grounds to even argue for her dismissal. Also under KK's leadership, they made three movies in a row that made over 1 billion dollars. It doesn't make sense that KK is doing everything wrong at all.

And yikes, KF taking over LFL. No thanks. Marvel is not the pillar of all things great. I don't even watch most of their stuff in theater. I think that Marvel would ruin Star Wars. They are different animals and should be treated as such.

Also, behold KK's work:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005086/

She's not some amateur. She's not inexperienced. Did all of the other stuff she was involved with flop? NOPE.

 

This is ridiculous. Kennedy is a legendary producer, arguably the most successful producer in film history. Look at her successes as a producer. Look at the types of films, small, moderate, and large she has shepherded on time and on budget time and time again.

Again, if Kennedy goes, who are you going to find to replace that record?

And there is still not one bit of evidence that she is responsible for any creative decisions fans are pinning on her. None whatsoever.

 

Maybe her job position at LF should just be producer, then.

Who's responsible for the overall creative direction, if not her? Because right now, it looks like the answer is "no one."

 

All I know is that I sure hope everyone from this site was smart enough to not pay the membership fee that site had. I'M sure some folks got suckered into it though. And if they did sucker folks into it hopefully it was people who follow geeks and gamers or wcb.

 

3/4 films with over a billion at the BO disagrees with you.

 

Well, we don't really know. She is the ultimate Executive Producer as President. But we have no evidence Kennedy is making small medium or larger creative decisions. At this point, I think she gives the directors wide latitude and that is why she has butted heads at certain points with them. She gives them plenty of reins but then sees where they are going and only then does she pull back on the reins. In other words, I am almost thinking she doesn't lay down an overarching vision going in but only knows what isn't part of it if that makes sense. She knows when something has gone too far.

Now, ILM and Skywalker Sound and Lucasfilm Animation all have their own creative directors by the way. John Knoll is creatively over ILM San Francisco, Ben Morris over ILM London, Nigel Sumner over ILM Singapore and Jeff White over ILM Vancouver with Rob Bredow being Senior Creative Director over ILM Studio(all four studios plus). Filoni is also creative director of Lucasfilm Animation.

 

The anti-KK frenzy among the Pepes and other haters is ridiculous. I hope she stays as long as possible.

 

Pepes....LOL!

Seriously though, it is merely attacking her for things they don't even know about. They think she is performing the same creative duties George was. Truth is, George had a woman President too before Kennedy....her name was Mich Chau and she ran LFL for years prior to George putting Kennedy in. So George was running things creatively while Chau was performing the Executive management. It is highly probable Kennedy is still doing the same and has handed contingent creative control over to each director at a time only retaining final cut per se...so creative control yes but contingent on unless they go far beyond what "SW is". And she might use the LSG as that soundboard or testing board as a way of keeping things consistent. It's actually very democratic if that is the way it is.

 

No way this talk of KK leaving is true. Just a bunch of unsubstantiated rumors or nonsense.

KK helps the think group to come up with which movies should be made. Yes, she is responsible for that. But Disney decides whether to approve or distribute them. That's Alan Horn. His name NEVER EVER gets mentioned around here. Why is that? He's seen as a forgotten middle man between Kennedy and Iger.

One film out of 4 is hardly enough to cause someone to leave. Did Disney's movie head leave everytime they made a dud? Nope.

 

> The Last Airbender

I'm gonna be honest, her having also worked on another 'The Last X' movie which fans despised to the point of pretending it doesn't exist, which the people behind the originals had to give coded statements of disapproval on, which was coincidentally another Mark Hamill attached franchise, is not the best track record. TLA is considered one of the biggest adaption screwups which should have been a slam dunk, only annoying, angering, and disappointing fans. She's also listed on the really bad Jurassic Park sequels... IDK if it's the best list tbh, and I still don't have any strong opinions on this KK person. A lot of those movie were pretty bland and boring, and the better ones are all decades ago.

 

There is a consistent narrative thread line with KK she is not hands on with the directors or LSG which is a laissez-faire type management. However, that seems to not work out in the end when LF needs a cohesive force guiding it to an end goal or cohesive universe. Considering what directors KK has worked with in the past this is understandable. However, past is precedent and there is a pattern here.

• KK had no idea what Gareth Edwards was doing until end production and R1 had to be fixed
• no idea what L & M where doing until it needed to be fixed
• no idea what RJ was doing and it was never fixed ( caveat) some people love the end product but the truth is the past is precedent she had no idea what RJ was "doing" or the "reasons" he would have done them. KK is not knee deep in SW lore, she just is not.
• JJ whatever you think about EP7 falls into the Spielberg/Lucas category he did not need to be supervised

Kathy is a great Producer, again past is precedent those are the facts. However, LF should have a Creative Director separate from President of LF.

 

I agree they do need one person creatively in control of the SW franchise. Someone who can provide a creative vision. Contact George and bring him back as the Chief Executive Creative Consultant and tie him into the LSG and be done with it. Keep KK in control as the President over the production side where she excels. I'm very serious about this. But it will never, ever, happen. George wont do it and Disney will never admit they made a mistake letting George go over creative differences. They simply don't do that.

@The Last Cookiemonster , that is some fine cherry picking of someone's resume. You singled out TLA and ignored her entire 80s and 90s career, which is full of tightly run machines and financial successes. You also seem to suggest she is responsible for their content. Sorry but Spielberg and the other filmmakers are responsible for that. She was and is one of the greatest producers in Hollywood history. Find another producer with a better track record financially regarding financial success and compared to their budgets. They're simply not there....except perhaps Marvel and Feige. But Feige is recent as in the last decade. Go back to Feige's earlier Marvel films and you see plenty of mediocrity if that is the standard. No one has the longevity of KK as far as BO success and productions of all sizes.

 

She'd have to have more failures than just Solo to prompt her exit. One movie just isn't enough.

But perhaps as far as individual movie involvement, executive producer would be a better role. Move JJ into the producer role along with being director.

 

JJ was a producer on TFA and he is on most of his films. TFA used JJ and Bad Robot producers along with LFL ones.

 

One thing Mike Zeroh also said was just a rumor that Kathleen Kennedy may be involved with Episode 9, He may be wrong because I can't find any source to the Rumor and Speculation.