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Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy responds to speculation about retirement: succession planning is underway, but she’s not retiring.

A little bit of smoke, a little bit of fire. A report broke recently that Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy was planning to retire, and step away from the Star Wars world. She’s now been chatting to Deadline about it, and there’s something to it, but not quite what was originally reported.

She’s adamant that retirement isn’t on the cards, declaring that “The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring.”

However, she does confirm that she’s been having conversations with Alan Horn and Bob Iger at Disney about “what eventual succession might look like.”

It...

Which Other Marvel Characters Did Robert Downey Jr. Wish To Play? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Robert Downey Jr. is the ultimate Iron Man. There are no arguments for that. He didn’t just play Tony Stark—he became him. That swagger, that wit, that genius billionaire vibe? All Rdj. But what if history played out differently? What if, instead of suiting up in red and gold, he picked up a bow and arrow or swung through the city in spandex?

Believe it or not, Downey Jr. once had his eye on two very different Marvel roles before fully embracing Iron Man. Honestly, imagining him as anyone but Stark is weird. But we’re talking about a man who turned a C-list comic book hero into one of the biggest pop culture icons ever. So, who’s to say he couldn’t have pulled it off?

One of his picks is every kid’s favorite web-slinger,...

It's been nearly two years since "The Mandalorian" delivered the third season adventures of the masked bounty hunter and his adorable, Force-sensitive companion known as Grogu. Unfortunately, we'll be waiting even longer since the big screen outing "The Mandalorian and Grogu" won't hit theaters until May 2026. That means we're left imagining with the Beskar-clad gunslinger and Darksaber-wielding hero might be up to. Thankfully, Hasbro is about to help us fill the time with an action figure that fans have been waiting for since the third season of "The Mandalorian" debuted.

Today, Hasbro announced two new additions to the Black Series line of action figures. First and foremost, we're finally getting the version of Moff Gideon in his Mandalorian Dark Trooper mash-up gear, complete with that menacing horned helmet that Darth Maul might have been jealous of. But that's not all. In order to keep Moff Gideon protected, we're also getting...

Star Wars fans need to hold their horses as reports of their most disliked behind-the-scenes figure exiting the franchise might’ve been greatly exaggerated. In February 2025, reports of Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy allegedly planning to retire by the year’s end made waves on social media. However, those reports might not be true after all.

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy (Credit: IGN | YouTube).

A follow-up report has now claimed that Kennedy isn’t planning on retiring soon and fans hoping the President makes way for more beloved figures to take the helm might be disappointed to learn the update. Therefore, the franchise’s fans must wait for any official statement regarding a change of leadership at Lucasfilm. Here is what’s going on with Kennedy’s alleged exit plans.

Kathleen Kennedy might not be leaving Lucasfilm and Star Wars just yet

Kathleen Kennedy was appointed as the President of Lucasfilm after...

Tony Gilroy is one of those rare screenwriters who has balanced commercial viability with incredible storytelling, proving that good craft always trumps easy fixes. The filmmaker will be returning to the Star Wars franchise with the second season of Andor. I absolutely loved the first season and the teaser for the second looks incredible.

Gilroy’s return comes at a turbulent time in the franchise as Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kenney is reportedly retiring from the top spot by the end of the year. As the replacement hunt for the controversial president begins, I believe the Andor showrunner would be the perfect fit after seeing his consistency.

Tony Gilroy’s statements about Andor’s season 2 proves he can think beyond the Skywalkers Diego Luna in Andor | Credits: Lucasfilm

Ever since Lucasfilm was sold to Disney, the franchise has moved away from George Lucas’ vision but has not let go of his legacy.

Dave Filoni and Kevin Feige: these names have been making the rounds in the news cycles ever since it was reported that Kathleen Kennedy will probably be stepping down at the end of 2025 from her position as Lucasfilm’s president.

Kathleen Kennedy || Credit: Gage Skidmore, licensed under Cc By Sa 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Her tumultuous reign as Lucasfilm’s head has had fans very disappointed in the Disney era of Star Wars, with shows like The Acolyte, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Book of Boba Fett being the steps that led to her descent from grace in the eyes of fans. There is one name that seems like a logical choice to take over from Kennedy, but remains to be seen how this person could usher in a new regime.

Lucasfilm’s executive team already has a likely candidate Lynwen Brennan || Credit: Lucasfilm

Lynwen Brennan currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Lucasfilm,...

Following the news that Kathleen Kennedy is gearing up to announce her retirement as Lucasfilm President, speculation continues to run rampant about her potential replacement (even Kevin Feige's name has been thrown into the mix).

Fans haven't appreciated Kennedy's stint in charge of the studio, She's delivered some successes for Disney - the Star Wars sequels were box office hits and Disney+ was launched on the back of The Mandalorian - but there have also been many failures.

Whether it's the countless Star Wars movies that failed to materialise or the way Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Solo: A Star Wars Story underperformed, the majority agree that a fresh face calling the shots would be no bad thing.

As we first reported on SFFGazette.com, scooper @MyTimeToShineH claims, "Dave Filoni is a candidate to replace Kathleen Kennedy after she steps down from Lucasfilm next year."

That...

With Kathleen Kennedy set to step down as Lucasfilm president at the end of 2025, Disney faces a major challenge: finding the right person to lead Star Wars and the studio’s other major projects into the future. While there are several names in the mix, there is no clear frontrunner, and opinions are divided on who should take the job.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney already has a preferred candidate—Dave Filoni. A longtime creative force behind Star Wars, Filoni has worked closely with George Lucas and played a key role in shows like The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka. A source claims Disney might officially announce him as the new Lucasfilm president at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan this April.

However, not everyone is convinced Filoni is the right fit. Some argue he is more of a creative visionary than a studio executive. “He’s a great resource of knowledge,...

The world of Disney’s Star Wars is about to experience a major, major change, for the current president of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy seems to be done with it once and for all. This is because exclusive reports from insider sources have it that the 71-year-old co-founder of Amblin Entertainment will reportedly step down from her position soon.

Kathleen Kennedy. | Credits: Image by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, Az, United States of America / Cca by Sa 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons.

That said, there has been quite a bit of speculation about just who could replace her to become the new prez of the film and TV production company. While one of the names being tossed around in the mix the most is that of Kevin Feige, there are some other and better options down the lane to choose from too. Like Dave Filoni – whom many fans are already rallying for.

Kevin Feige could replace Kathleen Kennedy,...

The news that Kathleen Kennedy will be stepping down as President of Lucasfilm later this year broke this morning, and THR has now shared an update with a list of potential candidates to replace her - and one of the names is none other than current Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige.

Star Wars creator George Lucas hand-picked Kennedy as his successor back in 2012 before selling his ownership stake to Disney. Now, for the first time, the Mouse House will pick somebody new to lead the next era of the galaxy far, far away.

Kennedy came in for a lot of criticism over the years for a number of missteps associated with the franchise, but there's no arguing with the huge level of success she managed to achieve, and insiders believe finding a replacement will be no easy task.

Outside of Star Wars, Kennedy played a part in developing the likes...

Who wants to call the shots on “Star Wars”?

No, really, because it’s kind of a thankless job. Of course, the intergalactic franchise is sacrosanct as a cultural institution, so the president of Lucasfilm — home to “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” — has one of the most prestigious posts in Hollywood.

But there’s also the reality they’ll be trolled on social media, parodied on “South Park” and criticized as too woke, too corporate, too slavishly devoted to George Lucas’s vision, or too willing to depart from Jedi canon.

And whoever gets the gig will be taking over at a low point in one of cinema’s biggest and most beloved franchises. Powers that be at the Disney-owned empire haven’t managed to get a film off the ground in six years (an eternity in today’s hyperactive culture). And the movies that have appeared in the decade-plus...

Following a report that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is expected to depart at the end of the year, Hollywood is abuzz with speculation over who might replace the longtime executive and steward of the Star Wars galaxy.

Kennedy, who co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall in 1981 and has produced films like Jurassic Park and E.T., was picked by Star Wars creator George Lucas to run Lucasfilm in 2012.

She remained in place when Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4bn later that year. Disney CEO Bob Iger wanted a new film from the Star Wars universe every year and Kennedy delivered.

When Dave Filoni’s acclaimed Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series launched back in 2008, the premiere episode’s opening crawl proclaimed: “Great leaders inspire greatness in others.”

But who should Disney choose to inspire greatness in the next generation of Star Wars creatives now that longtime Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy is retiring later this year?

The job hunt will be like nothing before in Lucasfilm history. Star Wars creator George Lucas handpicked Kennedy in 2012 to run the company before selling his ownership stake to Disney, which elected to keep her in place. Now, for the first time, Disney will pick somebody new to lead its galaxy far, far away.

During her tenure, Kennedy guided the Star Wars brand across many celebrated achievements (such as the franchise’s return to theaters with The Force Awakens and its successful shift to TV with The Mandalorian). She has also been often criticized...

Lucasfilm is going to be in need of a new captain, as longtime President Kathleen Kennedy is expected to step away at the end of 2025. Kennedy is coming up on 72 and has earned her retirement. With that, the "Star Wars" galaxy is likely going to be guided by new hands come 2026, which is a big deal to say the least of it.

Kennedy helped oversee Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm and subsequent relaunch of "Star Wars" on the big screen, taking over for George Lucas. Kennedy's reign started off very strong with "The Force Awakens." The rest of the sequel trilogy proved to be divisive, however, culminating with 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker." Kennedy also helped launch "The Mandalorian" on Disney+, in addition to being in charge of quite a few "Star Wars" projects that never saw the light of day. It's been a mixed bag, to be certain.

So, who...

Kathleen Kennedy has been at the forefront of the Star Wars franchise for well over a decade after taking over the reins from creator George Lucas. Kennedy’s tenure at the helm has been tumultuous, to say the least with fans frequently questioning her leadership. However, if reports are to be believed, the prolific producer is expected to step down by the year’s end.

Kathleen Kennedy at Star Wars Celebration 2023 (Credit: YouTube).

In February 2025, reports emerged that Kennedy was planning to retire after serving as the Lucasfilm President for close to thirteen years. Followup reports quickly suggested that her replacements were already being eyed and it would be none other than a fan-favorite duo the fans have asked to take over the keys to the galaxy far, far away. Here is the latest news on Kathleen Kennedy’s rumored exit from Lucasfilm.

Lucasfilm reportedly eyeing fan-favorite duo to replace...

It's the end of an era over at Lucasfilm. Hot on the heels of the Broccoli family ceding creative control of the James Bond franchise over to Amazon MGM Studios, yet another longstanding institution is about to be rocked by behind-the-scenes change. Kathleen Kennedy, the prolific producer who worked hand in hand with Steven Spielberg for several decades and who recently spearheaded both the "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars" properties, is reportedly set to leave Lucasfilm by the end of 2025 in a major development. The news was first reported by Matthew Belloni of The Puck newsletter and subsequently picked up by outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter.

The news about Kennedy (who turns 72 years old this June) and her retirement comes after years of speculation and debate surrounding her handling of the volatile "Star Wars" IP, both on the big screen and on Disney+ streaming. It's undeniable that she helped...

After leading the epic Star Wars franchise for over a decade as president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is reportedly planning to step down. Fans, who have expressed their criticism over her creative direction for the franchise, are eager to where things might go under the new leadership.

Star Wars | Credit: Lucasfilm

There have been frequent discussions of who could potentially replace Kennedy, with Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau being the top contenders. However, some fear that the potential new leadership could lead to even more trouble for the franchise.

Kathleen Kennedy is reportedly planning to step down from Lucasfilm

Kathleen Kennedy, who took the position of president of Lucasfilm in 2012, is reportedly planning to step down by the end of 2025. As per Puck, Kennedy has reportedly discussed her plans to retire as Lucasfilm president with her friends and associates.

Kathleen Kennedy | Credit: Dick Thomas Johnson/Cc-by-2.0/Wikimedia Commons

The Hollywood...

Kathleen Kennedy might be stepping down as the President of Lucasfilm come the end of 2025, which has gotten a lot of Star Wars fans rejoicing. There is no concrete announcement that has supported this claim yet, Puck News has reported that Kennedy has already begun talking with higher-ups at Disney and her associates about her retirement.

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy || Credit: Gage Skidmore, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0

Kennedy’s exit has brought on a lot of excitement from Star Wars fans, who largely hold the Lucasfilm President for the recent state of the franchise. Be it the mishandling of the Sequel Trilogy, or the run of shows like The Acolyte and The Book of Boba Fett, all the failures, at least by the fandom, have been laid at the feet of Kathleen Kennedy, whose possible exit has been looked at as a new era for Star Wars.

Kathleen...

Lucasfilm has big plans for the Star Wars universe, with several new movies in development. In April 2023, three films were announced, each set in different eras of the saga. Dave Filoni, James Mangold, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will direct these films, expanding the franchise in exciting new directions.

Meanwhile, Jon Favreau is set to direct The Mandalorian & Grogu, scheduled for release in May 2026. With other projects from creators like Rian Johnson, also in the works, the future of Star Wars looks packed with adventure.

Considering how rarely we get updates on these projects, it’s hard to know exactly what stage of development they are in. New Jedi Order is experiencing delays and challenges as it continues to change writers. Meanwhile, several previously announced films remain uncertain, leaving us wondering if they are still in development at all.

Industry insider Daniel Richtman now reports that Lucasfilm is eyeing David Lowery...

After more than a decade in a galaxy far, far away, Kathleen Kennedy is charting a course toward retirement. The Lucasfilm boss has told associates she plans to retire by the end of 2025, a source confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. Puck reported the news Monday night.

Reps for Kennedy and Lucasfilm were not immediately available for comment.

Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in 2012 as co-chair alongside Star Wars creator George Lucas, and a few months later took the reins after Disney paid $4 billion for the company and Lucas exited.

She relaunched the franchise, beginning with J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which grossed more than $2 billion globally and reinvigorated the property as a big screen brand. Disney released a Star Wars film every year from 2015-2019 and then took a pause following Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which received a mixed response and earned just half of what Force...

Jon Favreau's 2008 film "Iron Man" kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a multimedia superhero property that would remain dominant in the pop consciousness for over a decade. Initially, "Iron Man" and Louis Leterrier's own 2008 MCU movie "The Incredible Hulk" (which finally got a sequel of sorts in 2025) were meant to be mere stand-alone superhero sories, only including references to the Avengers as a cute wink to fans. But when Disney purchased the Marvel library in 2009, a grander plan was put in motion, laying out multiple films at once, each one introducing a new character. Eventually, all the superhero characters teamed up in 2012's "The Avengers," which was essentially the cinematic version of a TV season finale. That structure held fast through to "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019, the 22nd film in the franchise, and one that featured many, many superheroes.

While the McU's movies were dominating theaters, Netflix got in on the action as well.

The next Spider-Man movie starring Tom Holland is shifting its release date. Instead of July 24, 2026, it will now hit theaters on July 31, 2026. The movie is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, with Amy Pascal and Kevin Feige producing once again.

There’s a smart reason behind this change. Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine landed on the last Friday of July and pulled in an insane $211.4 million opening weekend in the U.S. alone, crossing $444.7 million worldwide. Sony is likely hoping for a similar box office smash by placing Spider-Man in the same slot.

Another factor? Christopher Nolan’s next film, The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, drops on July 17, 2026. If Spider-Man had stayed on its original date, it would have opened just one week after Nolan’s epic, making it tough to secure premium screens like IMAX.

By moving a week later, Spider-Man avoids that problem and instead goes up...

Sony and Marvel Studios’ new untitled Spider-Man with Tom Holland and from Destin Daniel Cretton is going a week later on July 31 instead of July 24 in 2026.

What’s so special about July 31 over July 24? It’s the last Friday in July, which essentially where Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine played to an opening of $211.4M domestic, $444.7M worldwide.

There’s something else though: Spidey on its old date was going in the immediate week wake of Christopher Nolan’s new Matt Damon movie The Odyssey on July 17 from Universal. On its new date, Spidey is two weeks from Nolan’s feature take of the Homer epic, and now going up against Spin Master/Paramount’s Paw Patrol 3.

It can also be inferred that Nolan will at least get his fair share of Imax screens — for about two weeks. Likely another reason why Spider-Man moved.

Amy Pascal and Marvel Studios president...

Most of Marvel Studios’s films are the cinematic equivalent of breadcrumbs, which have been dropped into theaters strategically so as to keep one looking for the next sequel or crossover, when the endless televisual exposition will eventually, theoretically yield an event of actual consequence. Occasionally, however, a Marvel film transcends this impersonality and justifies one’s patience. Weird, stylish, and surprisingly lyrical, Ant-Man, Iron Man 3, and Doctor Strange attest to the benefits of the old Hollywood-style studio system that Marvel has resurrected: Under the umbrella of structure and quota is security, which can bequeath qualified freedom. On the occasion of the release of Captain America: Brave New World, here’s a ranking of every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to date. Chuck Bowen

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on April 25, 2018.

35. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The aesthetic dexterity and psychological depth of Ang Lee’s...

(Photo Credit – Instagram)

Ne Zha 2 has slowed down a little at the Chinese box office but is still performing well. The film has been released in the US on Friday and surpassed the second highest-grossing animated feature, The Lion King’s global haul. Scroll below for the deets.

The Lion King is the remake of the 1994 film. It was released in 2019, and Jon Favreau directed it. The film received multiple accolades and is a blockbuster. It was the highest-grossing animation till Inside Out 2 took away the crown last year. The movie featured voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric André, Keegan-Michael Key, Jd McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and James Earl Jones.

Based on Box Office Mojo’s data, The Lion King collected $543.63 million in its domestic run and a massive $1.1 billion overseas, bringing its worldwide total to $1.67 billion.

When Malcolm Washington was working his first movie job — as a camera production assistant on Jon Favreau’s 2014 Chef — he struck up a friendship with Roy Choi, the film’s food consultant. As a lifelong Angeleno, Washington, 33, was a huge fan of Choi’s restaurants, and the two bonded over their shared experience of being new to a movie set (apart, of course, from Malcolm visiting his dad, Denzel Washington, at work as a kid).

“We didn’t stay in touch, because I was just a P.A.,” says Washington. But a decade later, he was celebrating picture lock on his directorial debut and decided to treat himself to dinner at a sushi bar. When he sat down at the only open seat, he found himself next to Choi: “I told him, ‘I just finished my first movie as a director 20 minutes ago,’ and he said, ‘I always knew you’d do something.

"The Office" had an impressive array of guest directors over the course of its nine-season run. J.J. Abrams, Harold Ramis, and Jon Favreau — who coincidentally was on the original shortlist of actors to play Michael Scott in "The Office" — all helmed episodes of the series. Another big-name guest director who wasn't brought on until the ninth and final season was Bryan Cranston, who oversaw the fourth episode of season 9, entitled "Work Bus." While the season itself isn't anyone's favorite stretch of the series, Cranston's episode is memorable for a very dark reason — namely, for almost killing the entire cast of the show.

The series' 180th episode overall, "Work Bus" saw the staff of Dunder Mifflin leave the office after Jim (John Krasinkski) convinces Dwight (Rainn Wilson) that the office itself is unsafe. Dwight then brings in an airport shuttle bus as a temporary workspace and the staff cram themselves...

There’s one thing that Marvel used to do better than any other studio, and that’s build hype. Ever since the series debuted with Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man” in 2008, these superhero films were filled with promising easter eggs and, in a game-changing creative masterstroke, post-credits scenes that promised future characters and crossovers and villains, which Marvel then actually delivered.

Now, Marvel has made its worst MCU post-credits scene ever with the tag for “Captain America: Brave New World.”

Marvel didn’t invent the post-credits scene — so-called because they drop after the closing credits (sometimes spiked with a mid-credits scene as well or instead) — nor did they make the first good one. The first, according to most historians, came at the end of the 1966 spy comedy “The Silencers,” starring Rat Pack crooner Dean Martin as Matt Helm. The scene depicted Helm on a bed, either pre-or-post-orgy, with a cadre of scantily clad,...

Sophie Thatcher had the pleasure of appearing in The Book of Boba Fett in 2022 as the leader of the Mods biker gang. Like many actors who have been lucky enough to join the franchise, she would be totally down for a return -- and we'd be glad to have her.

"I would love to," she told Inverse when asked if she'd ever return to a galaxy far, far away. “The Star Wars universe is so vast and so dense and so interesting, and Jon Favreau made it feel very political and very timely. It's such a cool universe. I would do it in a heartbeat.”

Some people didn't like the Mods (or The Book of Boba Fett), but they actually stood out as unique elements as Favreau attempted to worldbuild Tatooine in a very particular post-Return of the Jedi time period. Thatcher could easily fit right back into the universe,...

The Darksaber storyline ended shockingly and disappointingly in The Mandalorian's third season, and fans continue to debate its conclusion.

While animation gave the Darksaber a certain amount of prestige, and there was always a hope that the fabled Mandalorian weapon would one day fall into the right hands, it ended up destroyed during The Mandalorian Season 3 finale. Even though some fans found this a satisfactory conclusion to a divisive weapon that corrupted anyone who used it, others believe the Darksaber deserved better.

The Darksaber was forged by the only Mandalorian Jedi in history, Tarre Vizsla, and the weapon represents that rare aspect of Mandalorian lore. Mandalorians have been seen as warriors. Their philosophy differs from Jedi, so they've been traditionally disconnected from the Force. Of course, that has changed recently. Mandalorian Sabine Wren is training to be a Jedi Knight under the guidance of Ahsoka Tano. Grogu, a Force-sensitive child...

DreamWorks has officially entered the live-action game, and it seems like they took a page straight out of Disney’s remake playbook. The first trailer for the highly anticipated How to Train Your Dragon live-action adaptation has dropped, and fans immediately noticed something striking: it looks eerily similar to its animated predecessor.

Yes, in a move reminiscent of Disney’s 2019 The Lion King remake, this new version appears to be a near shot-for-shot recreation of the beloved 2010 animated classic.

Mason Thames in How to Train Your Dragon | Credits: Universal Pictures

But here’s the kicker, while Disney’s remakes often receive criticism for feeling soulless and cash-grabby, How to Train Your Dragon somehow manages to feel fun, fresh, and, dare we say, less icky? So, what makes this remake feel different despite following the same formula? Let’s dive in!

How to Train Your Dragon live-action appears to be a...

Skeleton Crew may trail behind other Star Wars series in viewership, but the enthusiastic response has left creators Jon Watts and Christopher Ford optimistic about its future.

Speaking to Variety, the duo revealed what it was like to work with Lucasfilm, where Jod Na Nawood stands as a Force-user, and how Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau feel about introducing At Attin to the Star Wars galaxy.

When asked how Lucasfilm collaborated with the duo on creating At Attin, which significantly alters Star Wars canon, the duo revealed they were initially hesitant. However, Lucasfilm was "so open to it." Ford explained their reluctance to change Star Wars but mentioned they were encouraged to explore further and told to "make up your own thing." The duo detailed the process behind creating new alien species for the series, where production designer Doug Chiang helped by providing renderings from talented artists, which were used...

Known for creating the iconic Star Wars franchise, George Lucas revolutionized the film industry with groundbreaking storytelling and cutting-edge technology. Since the release of A New Hope in 1977, the sci-fi saga has grown into one of the biggest and most influential franchises in the world, expanding into numerous films, TV series, games, novels, comics, and more.

George Lucas | Credit: Joi Ito/Cc-by-2.0/Wikimedia Commons

Despite Star Wars’ massive success and cultural impact, its creator has had a complicated relationship with Hollywood’s most prestigious honor, the Academy Awards. While the franchise has won multiple Oscars, Lucas himself has often been overlooked in major categories such as Best Director.

From his early success with American Graffiti to the sci-fi juggernaut that is Star Wars, here’s a look at every time the legendary filmmaker lost at the Oscars.

George Lucas lost the Best Director Oscar for American Graffiti

George Lucas is...

“Mufasa” is still showing box office strength, with the photorealistic “Lion King” prequel clearing $671 million in global ticket sales.

Over the weekend, the film added another $8.5 million from 52 overseas markets. After eight weekends on the big screen, Disney’s musical blockbuster has grossed $235 million domestically and $432.9 million internationally to stand as the seventh-biggest release of 2024. Without much in the way of competition, worldwide revenues are nearing $700 million. It’s an encouraging reversal in theatrical fortunes after a soft start ahead of Christmastime, even if those returns are nowhere close to the towering heights of its predecessor, Jon Favreau’s 2019 “The Lion King” remake ($1.66 billion globally). Still, the turnaround is vital for Disney because “Mufasa” was hugely expensive, costing above $200 million to produce and roughly $100 million to promote.

In another global milestone, “Paddington in Peru,” the third tale about the marmalade-loving bear, crossed $100 million at the international box office. The animated...

Sigourney Weaver is a household name because of her work in the Alien and Avatar films, so it's surprising how long it took Weaver to join Star Wars.

Via GamesRadar, Weaver revealed her main motivation for agreeing to work in The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will be released in theaters next year. For Weaver, the pint-sized star of The Mandalorian is why she agreed to her upcoming role, but she says he's far more than a cute baby, "And he's a little badass too." Weaver reveals, "It's going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he's grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series."

Grogu's growth was shown in The Mandalorian Season 3 where the little guy fought side by side with his father, as the duo battled Moff Gideon for the last...

The 2025 Producers Guild Awards were presented at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

The films competing for the guild’s top film prize, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, included Anora, The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, A Real Pain, September 5, The Substance and Wicked, with Anora ultimately taking home the honor.

Throughout the ceremony, the films nominated for the top award were highlighted by castmembers. Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Jeff Goldblum presented a reel of their film, while Peter Sarsgaard and John Magaro presented a look at September 5. A Real Pain star Jennifer Grey presented the reel for her film, where she costars with Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin.

Elle Fanning and Boyd Holbrook later took the stage to honor their film A Complete Unknown, before Josh Brolin honored his film Dune: Part Two.

The Producers Guild of America named Anora the best picture of the year at the 2025 PGA Awards. The surprise win came just an hour after director Sean Baker took home the DGA’s top prize — establishing the Neon film as the official Oscars frontrunner for Best Picture. Anora also won Best Picture at last night’s Critics Choice Awards.

Anora defeated fellow Oscar nominees The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, Emilia Pérez, The Substance, and Wicked — as well as non-Oscar nominees A Real Pain and September 5. The two Oscar nominees that missed out on PGA noms were I’m Still Here and Nickel Boys.

Since 2009, both the PGA and the Academy Awards have selected their Best Picture with ranked-choice voting, aka the preferential ballot. Since the two groups aligned their voting procedure, the PGA has been one of the most reliable Oscar predictors, forecasting 13 of 16 Oscar champs including...

Jon Favreau never sugarcoated his thoughts, and Star Wars was no exception. Long before he became a powerhouse in the galaxy far, far away, he had plenty to say about George Lucas’ original trilogy, whether fans liked it or not.

Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan in Deadpool & Wolverine | Credits: Marvel Studios

His brutally honest take didn’t just ruffle feathers; it practically set hyperspace on fire. But did he care? Not a chance.

Jon Favreau questions the hype over original Star Wars cuts Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan | Credits: Marvel Studios

Jon Favreau didn’t mince words when asked about George Lucas’ original Star Wars cuts. When Moovy TV pressed him on whether he had the clout to get the theatrical versions released, he shot back by saying,

Do you think anybody but us, like, the people who grew up with it, like anybody would care? Because I know to younger people…...

Mufasa: The Lion King has been vindicated.

On Friday, Disney’s prequel and follow-up to 2019’s The Lion King narrowly passed up Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at the domestic box office with $232.7 million in ticket sales, a feat no one thought possible after a muted opening at the Christmas box office. And by Sunday, its global total will be around $670 million as it prepares to jump to the $700 million mark against a $200 million-plus production budget before marketing.

Not that Sonic 3 isn’t its own huge success story. It’s earned a franchise-best $231.7 million domestically through Friday and $463.7 million globally against a production budget of $122 million. It’s very rare that a threequel earns 20 percent more than a previous title in the series, meaning it’s a growth property that would make any rival studio see green.

Rather, this is about Mufasa‘s impressive staying power thanks to strong word of mouth,...

Sigourney Weaver credits Grogu, otherwise known as Baby Yoda, for the reason why she signed on for the latest “Star Wars” blockbuster, “The Mandalorian & Grogu.”

“I get to have scenes with a little Grogu which is probably why I did the movie,” Weaver said in an interview with GamesRadar+. “And he’s a little badass too. It’s going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he’s grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series.”

Although details on her role, unveiled back in May, are slim, Weaver went on to tease, “I play a wonderful character who is, you know, in a position of authority. And I have to send the Mandalorian out on a mission on the Outer Rim where all the bad stuff happens.”

In January 2024, Lucasfilm unveiled the...

Sigourney Weaver is rightly considered an icon for her roles in the Alien and Avatar franchises but will finally head into another Galaxy Far, Far Away next year. She'll appear in the first Star Wars movie since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker: Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Talking to GamesRadar+ (via SFFGazette.com), Weaver admitted that she had never really considered being part of a Star Wars project. However, it was the adorable Grogu who went a long way in changing her mind. 

"I get to have scenes with a little Grogu which is probably why I did the movie," Weaver explained. "And he's a little badass too. It's going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he's grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series."

That last part is an intriguing reveal,...

In the United States, the vast world of Telugu cinema isn't terribly well-known. Indeed, many Americans might have first been exposed to Telugu cinema as recently as 2022 with the release of S.S. Rajamouli's musical action epic "Rrr," a film that won Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. Telugu cinema -- sometimes called Tollywood -- is an industry that goes back 1912, and is produced in the southern part of India. Tollywood movies are not to be confused with Bollywood movies, which belong to a separate industry, describing movies made out of Bombay. Tollywood movies are in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, or Malayalam. Bollywood movies are in Hindi, but also sometimes in the Punjabi or Haryanvi languages. Also, generally speaking, Bollywood movies are shorter than Tollywood movies, and the former tends to skew toward romantic melodramas while the latter leans toward action and spectacle. 

Working in the world of Telugu cinema...

‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ is a Star Wars movie directed by Jon Favreau, co-written with Dave Filoni, and follows the Disney+ series ‘The Mandalorian.’ Starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, and Jonny Coyne, it’s produced by Lucasfilm and will be distributed by Disney.

Originally planned as the fourth season of the series, the project shifted to a movie due to delays from the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes. Filming started in California in August 2024 and wrapped by December, with the film set to release on May 22, 2026.

Not that many details related to the plot are available at this moment and most of what we got are speculations and rumors. But Sigourney Weaver recently did share some details regarding the most adorable cast member of the movie – Grogu.

Sigourney Weaver admitted that she never really considered joining the Star Wars universe before. However, when she was offered a role...

While Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian & Grogu” will be the next “Star Wars” adventure to hit the big screen next year, there is still work being done to get “Star Wars: New Jedi Order” starring Daisy Ridley (reprising her role as Rey Skywalker) in good enough shape for filming to begin. Screenwriter George Nolfi was recently tasked by Lucasfilm to take over scripting duties on the new film from Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”) and is now talking about working on the “Star Wars” film in an interview with Film Stories.

Continue reading ‘Star Wars: New Jedi Order’: Screenwriter George Nolfi Talks Legacy Of George Lucas Exploring Politics & Fascism In ‘Star Wars’ at The Playlist.

Jay Pritchett might’ve been the patriarch of Modern Family, but Gloria was the literal game-changer. She shook up his old-school ways, brought the energy, and made sure no one underestimated her. And off-screen, Sofia Vergara did the exact same thing.

Sofia Vergara with Ed O’Neill and Jeremy Maguire in Modern Family | Credits: 20th Century Fox Television

Being the highest-paid actor on the show was proof that Vergara’s presence was the selling point.

Sofia Vergara’s Gloria: The glue that held the Pritchetts together Sofia Vergara in Modern Family | Credits: 20th Century Fox Television

Gloria didn’t just shake up Jay’s world; she practically saved the Pritchett family. Before she arrived, they were a little… well, disconnected. Mitch and Claire weren’t that close, Jay was stuck in his old ways, and big family gatherings weren’t exactly a thing.

And then came Gloria. She softened Jay,...

Actor Will Ferrell has ignited a social media firestorm with an unexpected reimagining of his beloved Christmas character Buddy the Elf during a recent Los Angeles Kings hockey game. The performance, which featured a disheveled and less-than-wholesome version of the iconic character, has divided fans of the 2003 holiday film “Elf.”

Ferrell, a season ticket holder for the Kings, surprised attendees by showing up in a Buddy the Elf costume that deliberately departed from the character’s original innocent persona. In an interview with People magazine, the actor admitted that his comedic stunt drew mixed reactions from audience members.

“Some people were not too happy,” Ferrell told the magazine. “They thought, ‘Please be true to the character. That was not cool.'” Despite the criticism, he defended the performance as a spontaneous moment of humor, explaining that “Buddy was having a bad day” and was simply enjoying a hockey game.

The...

It seems like not everyone cares that Buddy the Elf may be going through a midlife crisis.

In December, Will Ferrell went viral after he was seen dressed up as his beloved character from the 2003 holiday movie while watching the Los Angeles Kings play the Philadelphia Flyers from the stands. However, the actor decided to have some fun and make it appear as if time had not been friendly to Buddy, with a beer in hand, a fake cigarette sticking out of his mouth and a scowling expression across his face.

Though Ferrell thought it was hilarious, he recently told People magazine, “Some people were not too happy.”

“They thought, ‘Please be true to the character. That was not cool,'” he added. But Ferrell doubled down that “Buddy was having a bad day. Yeah. He just went to a hockey game, smoked cigarettes and drank beer.”

Elf, directed by Jon Favreau,...

Timothy Olyphant is set to star alongside Anya Taylor-Joy in Lucky, the new limited drama based on the New York Times bestselling novel and Reese’s Book Club pick by Marissa Stapley.

Lucky follows a young woman (Taylor-Joy) who left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago and now embraces her darker criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past.

Olyphant will play Lucky’s father, John.

Lucky is produced by Hello Sunshine and Tropper Ink, and is created by Jonathan Tropper under his overall deal with Apple TV+. Tropper serves as co-showrunner alongside Cassie Pappas. The series is executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine, a part of Candle Media. Anya Taylor-Joy executive produces through her production banner Ladykiller.

Jonathan Van Tulleken will direct several episodes, including the pilot,...

Actor Will Ferrell is known for his comedic performances in a string of commercially successful movies. One of the most popular movies in Ferrell’s filmography is the 2003 Christmas comedy Elf, directed by Jon Favreau, which was a major hit at the box office. As a result, a sequel seemed guaranteed, and that possibility has been discussed over the years.

Will Ferrell’s Elf was a huge hit (Credit: New Line Cinema).

While there have been some rumors suggesting a sequel was in the works, Ferrell has remained adamant about not wanting to make another installment. During a recent podcast appearance, the actor was asked about why a sequel to the 2003 cult classic never materialized. Ferrell revealed his hesitance to make it for one understandable reason. Here is what Will Ferrell had to say about the Elf not getting a sequel.

Will Ferrell shared the real reason why Elf 2 never...

On paper, the Marvel Studios animated series What If...? seems like one of the bigger risks taken since the Infinity Saga wrapped up back in 2018, but somehow what could have been a majorly unique and beloved homerun for the multiverse managed to deliver more misses than otherwise with an ultimately overall disappointing series being delivered to fans on the House of Mouse's streaming juggernaut. The best fans can hope for is that the massive multiversal misstep on the part of Team Feige manages to accidentally deliver a few chance nuggets of golden animated storytelling in the way a broken clock could even be right twice a day. 

There are multiple reasons that What If...?'s quality being as lacking as it is might be bad for business and the future of the interconnected comics-based universes. For one, it's more unlikely than so that the future projects in animation from...