Part 6/13:
A central theme in these rumors is the alleged opposition from Kathleen Kennedy, Disney’s President of Lucasfilm. Insider reports suggest that Kennedy maintained a strong influence over the film’s final cut, reportedly vetoing or diluting Lucas’s ideas and vision. The rumors further claim that multiple “warring factions” exist within Lucasfilm, with figures loyal to Lucas trying to push his version of the story into the spotlight, while others aligned with Kennedy’s vision work to suppress it.
Some insiders, including former Lucasfilm authors like JW Rinzler, have spoken about how Lucasfilm has changed under Disney’s ownership—highlighting dissatisfaction among employees and creators who feel that Disney’s approach has undermined Lucas’s legacy and the purity of the original vision.