‘Star Wars’ Exec Kathleen Kennedy Has ‘Every Intention’ to Hire Female Director

Lucasfilm president responds to criticism

kathleen kennedy
(Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios)

Just because a woman has yet to direct one of the many incarnations of “Star Wars” doesn’t mean the next in the franchise won’t have a woman at the helm.

“We have every intention of giving someone an opportunity,” said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy in response to the question of female directors during a press conference at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, Calif. on Sunday (via The Verge).

Kennedy drew sharp criticism just last week when she suggested that the first woman director for a “Star Wars” movie wouldn’t be, well, in the stars for a while, saying the studio would “pull them in when the time is right.”

With the cast and crew of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” on stage at Sunday’s press event, Kennedy suggested her comments were taken out of context.

She said the studio requires that a filmmaker show an interest in “Star Wars” and that they have a certain degree of experience directing big budget movies, according to The Verge.

Kennedy also revealed she has spoken to multiple women directors but that none have been hired yet.

Her comments last week also drew criticism because they seemed to indicate that there currently aren’t women filmmakers with the required credentials to helm a “Star Wars” movie.

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