Today, June 5th 2021, marks the 68th birthday of Kathleen Kennedy, one of the most successful producers in Hollywood history. She currently serves as President of Lucasfilm, overseeing the production of Star Wars and other projects under Lucasfilm, including Willow and Indiana Jones.
Kennedy has served as executive producer for some of the industry’s biggest films, including Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Cape Fear, and Schindler’s List, she also served as producer for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Color Purple, Hook, Jurassic Park, Twister, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
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In early 2012 Kennedy joined George Lucas as co-chair of Lucasfilm Ltd., later that year the Walt Disney Company purchased the production company for $4 billion and Kennedy became president of Lucasfilm. Kennedy has remained atop the company, overseeing massive hits like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian, and more.
Under the tutelage of Kennedy, Lucasfilm’s box office alone has brought in nearly double the $4 billion Disney paid for the company in less than a decade and has created one of the franchise’s biggest hits, the two season Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Kennedy also oversaw the development of the Star Wars themed land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World (and soon at Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris). The land has been a smashing success for the Parks division of Disney, with boarding passes for the e-ticket ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance being snagged up within seconds every morning at 7AM, over a year after it opened to the public on both coasts.
Read: John Boyega Open to Future ‘Star Wars’ Projects
Kathleen Kennedy is one of the most respected and successful producers in the movie industry and her leadership of Lucasfilm has rocketed the Star Wars franchise into the modern era, gaining millions of new fans every year and reaping huge rewards for the Walt Disney Company.
Happy Birthday Kathleen Kennedy.
