Kathleen Kennedy Lashes Out at Star Wars Fans in Exit Interview, Refuses to Accept Responsibility for Any Mistakes

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With Kathleen Kennedy about to leave Lucasfilm, her recent interview with Deadline doesn’t feel like a sincere look back at her time there. Instead, it reads like a last effort to control how people remember things, and once again, she seems to be blaming Star Wars fans for any issues.

Instead of admitting the problems with the Star Wars franchise as she departs, Kennedy consistently downplays criticism, brushes off opposing views as unimportant, and maintains she wouldn’t alter any of the choices that have brought Lucasfilm to where it is today.

“A Very, Very Small Percentage of the Fan Base”

When asked about the biggest challenges she faced while leading Lucasfilm, Kennedy didn’t mention the absence of a clear plan for the sequel trilogy, the cancellation of several planned movies, or the declining popularity of Star Wars in theaters.

Instead, she targeted the audience.

She explained that a small but vocal group of fans have very high expectations and prefer things to stay largely the same.

Kennedy downplays years of criticism by suggesting it comes from only a small, overly sensitive group of fans. However, this doesn’t match the reality of falling movie ticket sales, fewer people watching on streaming services, and the brand generally becoming less popular.

She went on to say that if you don’t meet their expectations, you’ll likely disappoint them, and there’s not much you can do to change that, since you can’t make everyone happy.

Kennedy doesn’t see criticism as helpful advice. Instead, he views it as a bothersome but inevitable part of the job – something to be expected, not something to learn from or change based on.

“I Wouldn’t Change Anything”

Kennedy made it perfectly clear how she feels about leaving Lucasfilm with a single, powerful statement, leaving no room for uncertainty.

She stated she wouldn’t change anything she’s done, either in the past or how she handled the current situation.

I’ve been following Star Wars for years, and it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. We’ve seen storylines fizzle out, ideas get dropped, and the last three films just didn’t feel like they were all working from the same plan. It’s surprising to hear Kathleen Kennedy say she doesn’t think she needs to re-evaluate how things have been handled. As a fan, I’m left wondering if a fresh perspective might be what the franchise really needs.

She explained that while she recognizes people have different preferences, it won’t alter her reasons for making the choices she did, or for collaborating with the team she chose.

Simply put, what fans think doesn’t matter. The decisions have been made, and they won’t be questioned or changed.

Invoking George Lucas to Deflect Criticism

Kennedy often presented herself as the primary protector of George Lucas’s vision, using his name to deflect any criticism she received.

The best approach is to focus on telling compelling stories while staying true to the heart of George Lucas’s original vision for Star Wars. He instilled really important values—like hope, enjoyment, and pure entertainment—into the entire saga.

The message is clear: people who dislike the new Star Wars films aren’t just disappointed fans – they’re seen as not understanding what Star Wars is really about.

This tactic avoids addressing actual problems with the story, leadership, or how the franchise is run by instead portraying any criticism as a personal or ethical flaw.

A Familiar, Unchanged Pattern

This isn’t a new tactic for Kennedy. For years, she’s explained criticism by blaming small, vocal groups of fans, online negativity, or simply saying expectations were too high. What’s important about this interview isn’t what she said, but when she said it.

This was an opportunity for reflection. Instead, Kennedy doubled down.

Before departing Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy didn’t address any mistakes made, offer any insights gained, or accept any leadership responsibility for the current issues with Star Wars. Instead, she again suggested that the fans themselves are to blame.

What This Exit Interview Really Says

If this interview is a reflection of Kathleen Kennedy’s career, it strongly suggests she doesn’t think she ever needed to answer to the audience.

If fans were hoping a recent departure would lead to big changes at Lucasfilm, this interview makes it clear that’s unlikely.

Kathleen Kennedy may be leaving Star Wars — but her view of its fans hasn’t changed at all.

And she made sure to say that out loud on her way out.

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2026-01-16 16:57