Oscar-nominated producer Kathleen Kennedy will oversee the opening and closing ceremonies when Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The appointment was announced Wednesday, with Kennedy named head of ceremonies and content. She replaces Peter Rice in the role, while Rice remains as executive producer.
Kennedy, 73, left her post as president of Lucasfilm in January, a position she had held since 2012.
Her time at the studio included guiding the modern era of Star Wars.
Her other producing credits include E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Back to the Future, and Jurassic Park.
“Kathleen is a legend. She is one of Hollywood’s all-time greats, with a rare gift for storytelling,” Casey Wasserman, LA28 chairperson and president, said in a statement. ”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."
Kennedy has been to multiple Olympics, she says, dating back to the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
“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,” she said in a statement.
She joins a ceremonies team that already includes Ben Winston, an Emmy-winning producer who serves as executive producer and creative director. Scott Givens is the team's executive producer of production.
The same day, LA28 organizers unveiled “Stars Align” as the official slogan of the Olympic and Paralympic games.
The Olympic opening ceremony is scheduled for July 14, 2028, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The Olympic closing ceremony follows on July 30 at the Coliseum.
The Paralympic opening ceremony takes place at SoFi Stadium on August 15, with the closing ceremony at the Coliseum on August 27.