Kathleen Kennedy to Lead LA Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies After ‘Star Wars’ Exit, Replacing Peter Rice

Kathleen Kennedy, the former head of Lucasfilm, has been tapped as head of ceremonies and content for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

She’s replacing Peter Rice, who was hired as Netflix’s chief content officer earlier this week and took over for Bela Bajaria. He will remain involved with the LA28 Games as executive producer, as first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.

In her role, Kennedy will lead the delivery of all four ceremonies, including the Olympics opening on July 14, 2028, and closing on July 30 as well as the Paralympic opening on Aug. 15 and closing on Aug. 27.

LA28 chairperson and president Casey Wasserman called Kennedy a “legend” and “one of Hollywood’s all-time greats.”

“When the stars align to focus the world’s attention on Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I can’t think of anyone better to conjure the magic of Hollywood than Kathleen,” he said.

Kennedy described the Olympics as “a touchstone in my life” and referred to the games as “one of the great unifying experiences we share.”

“Casey Wasserman has a bold vision for what these Games can mean for Los Angeles and the world, and I’m thrilled he’s asked me to help bring it to life,” Kennedy said. “My husband, Frank Marshall, and I have attended virtually every games since Los Angeles in 1984, and sport remains one of the great unifying experiences we share. Peter Rice has laid a terrific foundation, and I can’t wait to get to work with Ben Winston, our creative director, and the whole LA28 team.”

Kennedy left Lucasfilm at the end of 2025 after serving as president for 14 years. She maintains a relationship with the company behind “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones,” with recent credits including last summer’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and the upcoming “Star Wars: Starfighter,” led by Ryan Gosling.

A widely respected producer, Kennedy worked closely with Steven Spielberg over the years on movies such as “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jurassic Park” and “Lincoln,” and she helped pick the director J.J. Abrams to helm 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which successfully revived the franchise with more than $2 billion globally. Her tenure at Lucasfilm had both highs and lows, including misfires like 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”