Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy on Daisy Ridley’s New Rey Film, ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Season 2 and Rian Johnson’s ‘Star Wars’ Future

After the Ahsoka panel at the Star Wars Celebration in London, Variety spoke with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy about some of the franchises future installments.

Kennedy was keen to talk about bringing back Daisy Ridleys Rey for a new Star Wars film, which was announced during an April 7 panel.

It was a pretty straightforward phone call, she said. I started out by just saying, Hey, I think were getting near being ready. Weve been talking a lot about what were doing in the movie space and I said, I think were getting close to being ready. How would you like to go to Celebration? That was really the beginning of it. She was out of her mind excited.

Kennedy also offered an update on Lucasfilms collaboration with Rian Johnson, who is potentially working on a new Star Wars trilogy.

Rian and I talk all the time, she said. He is unbelievably busy. So were not actively involved in anything at the moment because hes doing another one of the Glass Onion movies and then God knows what else. But he really wants to step back into the space. Its a big commitment of time, so thats really on him.

Taika Waititi is also working on a standalone film in the Star Wars universe. Kennedy gave an update on that as well.

Taika is still working away, she said. Hes writing the script himself. He doesnt really want to bring others into that process and I dont blame him. He has a very, very unique voice. So we want to protect that and thats what hes doing. But were going to make that one day.

Kennedy also fielded an inquiry about a potential second season of the series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Some fans have pushed for a follow-up adventure for Ewan McGregors iconic Jedi.

That is not an active development, she said. But I never say never, because theres always the possibility. That show was so well-received and [director] Deborah Chow did such a spectacular job. Ewan McGregor really wants to do another. Everybodys all hands on deck with what were doing right now, as you can see by what we showed everybody [at the Celebration]. Well turn our attention to that again maybe down the road.