Last week certain sections of the internet got a little upset over some comments from Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy, due to comments she made when asked about the possibility of a female director helming a Star Wars movie.
“We want to make sure that when we bring a female director in to do Star Wars, they’re set up for success,” said Kennedy. “They’re gigantic films, and you can’t come into them with essentially no experience. We want to really start to focus in on people we would love to work with and see what kinds of things they’re doing to progress up that ladder now, and then pull them in when the time is right.”
Several outlets ran stories claiming that Kennedy was showing double standards, and that only women would be excluded due to a lack of experience. We never ran the original story, as it seemed pretty clear that the quotes were being taken out of context, and now Kennedy has clarified her stance, stating just that:
“It’s not true,” said Kennedy (via The Playlist). “[Gareth Edwards] did Godzilla before we hired him to direct [Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]. That quote was taken out of context. And I, as you can imagine, have every intention of giving someone an opportunity. So, if somebody actually moves through the process of making movies and wants to make a Star Wars movie, and shows that they have actually stepped in to the role of that level? Of course, we’re going to consider a woman. That goes without saying. There are many [worthy female filmmakers] out there.”
Given the strides that Lucasfilm have made diversifying the on screen side of the Star Wars universe, you’d have to imagine it’s only a matter of time before a female filmmaker gets behind the camera. Which female directors would you like to see tackling Star Wars? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…
Originally published December 5, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
