Amid conflicting reports about Kathleen Kennedy's Lucasfilm tenure, Daisy Ridley clarified the studio president's involvement in her upcoming Star Wars film.
Daisy Ridley Comments on Reports About Kathleen Kennedy's Departure
While speaking exclusively with The Direct at the SXSW premiere for We Bury the Dead, Daisy Ridley told us there had been reporting about the Lucasfilm President that "was not true."
After Puck's Matt Belloni reported Kathleen Kennedy would be departing her position at Lucasfilm by the end of 2025, Deadline countered with an interview with the studio head, who declared, "I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies."
She then acknowledged discussions about succession plans with an announcement coming "months or a year down the road."
When The Direct asked Daisy Ridley how involved she anticipates Kennedy to be in her New Jedi Order film, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, amid reports of Kennedy's potential impending departure from the studio, Ridley stated, "she's very involved:"
"I believe that she's very involved. I think there was reporting that was not true. So yeah, very [involved]."
When asked when filming is expected to begin on the now-delayed new entry, Ridley simply stated, "I don't know."
Check out why Star Wars nearly replaced Daisy Ridley with an older actress here.
Is Kathleen Kennedy Retiring or Not?
It's important to note that Kathleen Kennedy can still be involved with Daisy Ridley's new Star Wars movie without being the head of Lucasfilm.
While Deadline attempted to debunk Belloni's initial report, Kennedy's own words didn't necessarily contradict what Belloni originally wrote.
According to Kennedy's own words, she is not retiring as a producer. She intends to make movies for the rest of her life. But she is stepping down as Lucasfilm's President, as noted by her own comments about succession talks.
Also, continuing to act in a producer capacity would allow her to still have a role in Daisy Ridley's film, Shawn Levy's movie, and the rest of Lucasfilm's film slate.
While Ridley said there has been "reporting that was not true," her comments also confirm Kennedy's long-term commitment to the project and her active role in the film right now.
In short, Kennedy isn't done with Star Wars, nor is she distancing herself from Daisy Ridley's return. The only question is when she exchanges her title of president for producer.
The release date for Daisy Ridley's Star Wars movie is currently unknown.
