Veteran Hollywood film producer Kathleen Kennedy has been tapped to oversee the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, according to an announcement from the organizing committee. The appointment places the executive behind major cinematic franchises including Star Wars and Jurassic Park in a leading role for the upcoming athletic event.
Kennedy will head a team of producers tasked with designing the aesthetic and content of the dual ceremonies. The 2028 Summer Games are scheduled to kick off on July 14, 2028, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. In addition to the Olympic opening event, Kennedy will direct the closing ceremony as well as both the opening and closing ceremonies for the Paralympic Games, which begin a month later.
In its formal announcement, the organizing committee emphasized the strategic choice of leaning into local industry expertise. The appointment reinforces the committee’s commitment to harnessing the creativity, cultural influence, and storytelling power of the entertainment capital of the world, organizers stated, promising ceremonies that reflect Los Angeles and leave a lasting impression globally.
With this role, Kennedy steps into the position of head of ceremonies and content. She succeeds Peter Rice, another prominent entertainment executive with a lengthy career at 20th Century Fox who previously served as president of 21st Century Fox in 2017 and recently became chief content officer at Netflix. Organizers confirmed that Rice will remain involved with the project as an executive producer.
Kennedy’s new assignment follows her departure from Lucasfilm in January after a 14-year tenure as president of the Star Wars studio. LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman praised the producer’s extensive track record, describing her as a legend and one of Hollywood’s all-time greats who is uniquely suited to conjure the magic of Hollywood for the global audience.
Reflecting on her appointment, Kennedy noted that she and her husband and producing partner, Frank Marshall, have attended nearly every Olympic Games since the event was last hosted in Los Angeles in 1984, calling sport one of the great unifying experiences shared globally.
Throughout her career, Kennedy has contributed to numerous high-profile cinematic works. Her production credits include major installments of the Star Wars franchise such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” She also co-founded Amblin Entertainment alongside Steven Spielberg, producing hits like “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and the “Back to the Future” trilogy. Additionally, the production company she established with Marshall brought forth titles including “The Sixth Sense,” “Seabiscuit,” and “Lincoln.”
