A rumor suggesting Kevin Feige is going to take over for Kathleen Kennedy as Lucasfilm president has been debunked. For the first time in her tenure as studio president, Kennedy has fallen on some hard times. This summer's Solo: A Star Wars Story became the first franchise installment to disappoint at the box office and is set to lose Disney at least $50 million when it's all said and done. Plus, heated conversations about The Last Jedi rage on to this day, splitting the fandom down the middle as viewers debate about the direction the sequel trilogy is headed.
In the wake of this one-two punch, there's been a more vocal call from certain circles for Kennedy to step down (or be fired) so Lucasfilm can course-correct. It was only a week ago reports indicated Kennedy might be on her way out as early as the fall, raising questions about her eventual replacement in the event his does happen (Kennedy herself has remained quiet on the matter). One person who will not take charge of Lucasfilm is the one and only Kevin Feige.
Related: No, Disney Isn't Killing Star Wars
Buried in Deadline's coverage of Geoff Johns' new role at DC Entertainment is a debunking of a rumor of unknown origins that says Feige will be the new president of Lucasfilm. Details on the matter are slim, only that the speculation was "roundly denied." There's no further word on if Kennedy intends to remain in her current position, but if she does move on, she'll be giving way to someone else.
That Kennedy would want to retire from Lucasfilm after overseeing a renaissance of the Star Wars franchise and producing six tentpoles (five Star Wars movies, plus Indiana Jones 5) as she enters her mid-60s isn't all that farfetched. The notion that it would be Feige assuming Kennedy's duties, however, is quite outlandish. Feige is neck-deep in planning the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, setting the table for Phase 4 and beyond. There has been nothing to indicate Feige is looking to leave Marvel Studios and pursue a new challenge, so it's safe to assume he'll be in charge of the MCU for the foreseeable future. There's absolutely no way Feige could run Marvel and Lucasfilm (both of which have multiple projects in development) at the same time given the demands of both jobs.
If Kennedy were to depart Lucasfilm, there are plenty of more realistic candidates who'd likely be considered. A fan-favorite pick is Dave Filoni, the mastermind behind the studio's animation department. Filoni is well-versed in Star Wars lore and actually learned under George Lucas, so he'd be a fitting selection (if he wanted to take on the responsibilities, that is). Kiri Hart, head of the Lucasfilm story group, would also be an interesting possibility, considering she was a producer on Star Wars Rebels and Rogue One. Or, Kennedy could remain and help shepherd projects she's green lit, like Rian Johnson's trilogy and David Benioff & D.B. Weiss' series, to the big screen.
MORE: How Lucasfilm Really Works
Source: Deadline
