Kathleen Kennedy Named Head of Ceremonies for 2028 LA Olympics, Replacing Peter Rice

Kathleen Kennedy is the new head of ceremonies and content for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. LA28 organizers announced the hire Wednesday, Oct. 28.

She replaces Peter Rice, who was named chief content officer at Netflix earlier this week. LA28 said Rice will stay on as an executive producer.

What Kennedy will run

Kennedy will lead the team producing all four ceremonies. The Olympic opening is scheduled for July 14, 2028, and the closing for July 30. The Paralympic opening is set for Aug. 15, with the closing on Aug. 27.

The Olympic opening is planned for two venues: the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

She joins a team already in place. Ben Winston, whose credits include the Grammys and "The Late Show With James Corden," is executive producer and creative director. Scott Givens, who has worked on 15 previous Games, is executive producer of production.

The résumé

Kennedy co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, who is now her husband. Amblin made "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" and the "Back to the Future" films. She also helped produce "Jurassic Park."

With Marshall she founded a second production company, which made "The Sixth Sense," "Seabiscuit" and "Lincoln."

She spent 14 years as president of Lucasfilm, ending that run in January. George Lucas chose her to run the studio when he sold it to Disney in 2012. Her time there included "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "Rogue One" and "The Last Jedi." She has recent credits on "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and the upcoming "Star Wars: Starfighter," led by Ryan Gosling.

What organizers and Kennedy said

LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman called Kennedy "a legend" and "one of Hollywood's all-time greats." He added: "I can't think of anyone better to conjure the magic of Hollywood than Kathleen."

An LA28 announcement said the appointment "reinforces LA28's commitment to harness the unparalleled creativity, cultural influence and storytelling power of the entertainment capital of the world." The result, it said, will be "ceremonies that are distinctly Los Angeles and leave a lasting impression on the global stage."

Kennedy called the Olympics "a touchstone in my life." She said she and Marshall have attended virtually every Games since Los Angeles hosted in 1984. "Sport remains one of the great unifying experiences we share," she said.

She also credited her predecessor. "Peter Rice has laid a terrific foundation," Kennedy said.

Kennedy pointed to the geography of the event too. "These games are rooted in Los Angeles," she said, but with events from Oklahoma City to LA28's six soccer cities, "all of America gets to host the world's finest athletes."

The criticism

Not everyone is cheering. Fox News's OutKick commentary called the pick questionable, citing what it described as missteps with the Star Wars franchise under Kennedy. The piece pointed to the Disney-era films and the Disney+ series "The Acolyte." It also noted a 2023 "South Park" special, "Joining the Panderverse," that mocked her.

The OutKick writer argued her standing may be at a low after Lucasfilm, and that the choice would have made more sense for the 1984, 1996 or 2002 Games. The same piece acknowledged her standing as a Hollywood legend and said the ceremonies are unlikely to define the Games as a whole.

The film record cuts both ways. Variety noted her Lucasfilm tenure had both highs and lows: "The Force Awakens" revived the franchise with more than $2 billion globally, while "Solo: A Star Wars Story" and "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" were misfires. Her work with Spielberg includes "E.T.," "Jurassic Park" and "Lincoln."

Why the switch happened

The change came from Rice's move, not from any dispute. He took the Netflix job, taking over from Bela Bajaria, and the Olympics post opened up.

The first test for Kennedy's team will be staging a simultaneous opening across two stadiums on July 14, 2028.