Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy to oversee 2028 Los Angeles Olympics opening and closing ceremonies

Veteran Hollywood producer Kathleen Kennedy, known for the Star Wars and Jurassic Park franchises, will oversee the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the LA28 organizing committee said Wednesday. Kennedy will lead a team of producers designing the look and content of dual opening ceremonies on July 14, 2028, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. She will also lead the closing ceremony and both Paralympic ceremonies, which begin a month later. She takes over as head of ceremonies and content from Peter Rice, who recently joined Netflix as chief content officer and will remain an executive producer. Organizers said the ceremonies would showcase Los Angeles and its entertainment industry.

Left-leaning coverage, represented here by the Los Angeles Times, leads with Kennedy's blockbuster credits and the organizers' pledge to draw on the city's storytelling power, and it highlights Rice's long career at 20th Century Fox. Alternative outlets Billboard and The A.V. Club both lead with Kennedy's career, but differ in framing: Billboard uses a "Legendary" headline and features Kennedy's statement about sport as a unifying experience, while The A.V. Club calls it a new job, cites The Hollywood Reporter, and stresses Rice's Netflix move and the existing team of Ben Winston and Scott Givens. Right-leaning coverage, from the New York Post, centers on Rice's Netflix move, Kennedy's Berkeley roots and San Diego State degree, her Lucasfilm tenure, and her eight Oscar nominations without a win. The sides agree on the core facts, including the role, venues and start date, but differ in emphasis: left and alternative outlets focus on creative pedigree and the handoff, while the right adds personal background and awards history. Only the New York Post's excerpt reports the Oscar record.