If you’ve been paying close attention to the Star Wars universe since the launch of Ron Howard’s Solo, you’ll know that the Internet has been mulling over two big allegations.
Number one? Lucasfilm has pumped the brakes on all standalone movies, thereby placing Boba Fett and Obi-Wan‘s respective spinoffs on ice until further notice. The other big rumor concerns Kathleen Kennedy and, more specifically, her future at the company… or lack thereof.
Word is Kennedy’s position at the helm of Star Wars is under serious scrutiny, and the Powers That Be over at Disney (read: Bob Iger) are in the process of hiring her replacement. J.J. Abrams was name-dropped as a possible contender, though he’s reportedly turned down the offer. But what about Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige?
It’s a stretch, of course, as Feige continues to be the heartbeat powering Marvel’s cinematic universe – he’s currently out promoting Ant-Man and the Wasp, its latest critically-acclaimed installment. And so, when /Film asked the super producer straight-up about the possibility of him succeeding Kathleen Kennedy at the helm of Star Wars, the MCU boss smiled, shook his head, and said:
No. Only in my backyard with my action figures.
Short and sweet, then, but this ought to debunk those rumors of Feige jumping ship. He’s admittedly a huge fan of all things Star Wars, so if nothing else, there’s a chance he’ll one day produce his own story set in that galaxy far, far away.
But the question remains: will Kathleen Kennedy call time on her Star Wars tenure after Episode IX? She has worked on the Skywalker Saga from the very beginning, after all…