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Former Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy to produce 2028 Olympics ceremonies

By Thomson Reuters Oct 28, 2026 | 1:43 PM

LOS ANGELES, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Kathleen Kennedy, a veteran Hollywood producer and the former ​president of “Star Wars” film ‌studio Lucasfilm, will lead production of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics in ‌Los ​Angeles, organizers said ⁠on Wednesday.

Kennedy was ⁠named head of ceremonies and content for the Games, replacing Peter Rice, who recently took ​a job at Netflix.

She stepped down as president of ⁠Lucasfilm in January. ⁠Founder George Lucas had ​chosen her to lead the studio ​when he sold it to ‌Disney in 2012.

Kennedy co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, whom she later ⁠married, and helped produce classic movies including “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List.”

Kennedy said ⁠she ‌and Marshall have attended ⁠nearly every Olympics since ​the ‌1984 Games in Los ​Angeles.

“Sport remains ⁠one of the great unifying experiences we share,” she said in a statement.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los AngelesEditing by ​Bill Berkrot)