Kathleen Kennedy is currently helming affairs at Lucasfilm, making her directly responsible for the slate of Star Wars projects fans will see in the future. Kennedy has already announced a string of theatrical films and streaming projects that will continue to expand the galaxy far, far away in interesting new directions.
During an interview, Kennedy stated that there were plans to produce entries in the space opera franchise that would be set before the events of the Daisy Ridley-led sequel trilogy. Kennedy explained why the prequels were a no-brainer for the studio and also addressed other future plans for the Star Wars franchise. Here is what Kennedy had to say about the prequel ideas.
Kathleen Kennedy on Why Prequels of Daisy Ridley’s Star Wars Sequel Trilogy are a No-brainer
President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy oversaw the production of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, starring Daisy Ridley in the lead role. In 2022, Kennedy sat down for a conversation with GamesRadar, where she discussed the future of the galaxy far, far away. During the interview, Kennedy revealed plans to explore stories set before the sequel trilogy.
All the kids of the kids end up loving the prequels and their parents loved the original movies, and now we have the sequels, not very long ago, there’ll be a whole generation attached to that.
Kennedy made the above statement, explaining how the fan base’s affection for particular eras would inform the franchise’s future. The producer added that the studio looked at the franchise as one persistent story, with opportunities to sometimes look back and revisit popular characters.
Kennedy’s comments imply that prequels to the sequel trilogy are a no-brainer because there is an existing fanbase that is attached to that era of the franchise. The same is evident in Lucasfilm’s slate which includes shows such as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other upcoming shows that take place before the sequels.
Kathleen Kennedy Talks Recasting Legacy Star Wars Characters
During the same interview, Kennedy also spoke about how the studio will handle the recasting of legacy characters as the franchise moves forward. She stated that the studio would not be recasting legacy characters and would strongly consider the viability of a story before making any casting choices for future projects featuring said characters.
I never say never. It’s certainly not something that we’re doing with any intention right now.
Kennedy made the above statement clarifying the studio’s approach to recasting. In the past, the studio opted to recast Han Solo for a prequel film focusing on the character’s backstory.
However, the studio also had Mark Hamill reprise his role as Luke Skywalker using modern technology for episodes of The Mandalorian. Kennedy added that the studio would need a strong reason to produce a project featuring Luke and Leia, so it would be interesting to see how Lucasfilm recasts legacy characters.
The Star Wars movies and TV shows are streaming on Disney+.
