Introduction
Back in March, I discussed how the Star Wars franchise will remain stagnant until Disney makes fundamental changes to its own and Lucasfilm's leadership. While Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have great track records and make compelling stories, Kathleen Kennedy is still the top dog of Lucasfilm.
Over the past few months or so, I keep hearing about rumors of Kathleen Kennedy finally getting the pink slip. It does make sense in a way. The Disney trilogy performed worse for each film and Solo actually lost money. The High Republic is creatively bankrupt and literally features a rock as a character. Even though we are several months removed from Gina Carano's firing, many videos on the official Star Wars YouTube channel still get ratio'ed pretty damn hard.
The rock's name is Geode, by the way... Reminds me of Geodude which ironically is also a rock type.
So something has to give, right? Well, not so fast. First things first, rumors are just that: rumors. They can range from Nostradamus levels of precision to being completely bullshit. And even if they come true, is Star Wars really saved?
The Rumors
On YouTube, I keep hearing about Kathleen Kennedy getting fired and George Lucas gaining back some degree of creative control from channels such as Overlord DVD and MIKE ZEROH. Heck, months ago, I've even heard of the Disney trilogy getting retconned because of how badly The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker were received.
I have nothing against these channels. Admittingly, they are kind of entertaining, too. That said, there's absolutely no way for me to verify their claims and on principle, I refuse to believe them under pure faith. Do I think letting Kennedy go would be the right direction? Yes, but just because I hear things I want to hear, it doesn't make them true. Heck, rumors of Disney firing Kathleen Kennedy go as far as last year. Every time, it's like "Any minute now... Just you see...".
Closing Thoughts: Is Star Wars Really "Saved"?
Let's pretend Kennedy gets the boot. Well, that's absolutely cool, but was she the root problem or just a symptom of the real problem? While she has (or if the rumors are true, had) creative control over Lucasfilm, then letting her go would definitely solve the studio's creative bankruptcy to an extent. However, she's not the only one in charge as I would imagine Disney would also have some major input. And if you look at Disney's recent track record... well, it's less than stellar. For instance, Cruella underwhelmed at the box office and it also performed worse than the Mulan live-action on Disney+.
On the bright side, if Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau runs the ship, then I would have a more optimistic view on Star Wars potential. Of course, they're just two people and if Gina Carano's allegations of Lucasfilm being a toxic workplace are true, then the studio needs a major realignment before it can set sail.
My hope is that Kennedy is let go, Filoni & Favreau take creative control with George Lucas giving suggestions on the side, Lucasfilm's workplace environment is improved, and Disney takes a hands-off approach towards Lucasfilm. If all of these things take place, then Star Wars will definitely make a change for the better.
