Kathleen Kennedy to Direct Ceremonies for 2028 LA Games

Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics announced on Tuesday that Kathleen Kennedy will lead all ceremonies and content for the games.

The Olympic opening ceremony is scheduled for July 14, 2028, with the closing on July 30. The Paralympic games will run from August 15 to August 27. Kennedy will manage the creative delivery for all four of these events.

She replaces Peter Rice, who was named chief content officer at Netflix earlier this week. Rice takes over that role from Bela Bajaria. According to reports from the Hollywood Reporter, Rice will continue to work with the LA28 team as an executive producer.

Casey Wasserman, the chairperson and president of LA28, praised the new appointment in a statement. He called Kennedy a "legend" and "one of Hollywood's all-time greats." Wasserman said he could not think of anyone better suited to bring Hollywood magic to the city.

Kennedy responded by calling the Olympics a "touchstone in my life." She described the games as "one of the great unifying experiences we share." She said she is thrilled to help bring Wasserman's "bold vision" to life for Los Angeles and the world.

Kennedy and her husband, Frank Marshall, have attended nearly every Olympic games since Los Angeles hosted in 1984. She acknowledged that Rice "has laid a terrific foundation" for the production team. She also expressed eagerness to work with creative director Ben Winston and the rest of the LA28 staff.

Kennedy left her position as president of Lucasfilm at the end of 2025 after 14 years. She remains connected to the studio behind "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones." Recent projects include "The Mandalorian and Grogu" and the upcoming film "Star Wars: Starfighter." During her tenure, she worked with Steven Spielberg on major films and helped select J.J. Abrams to direct "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," a film that earned more than $2 billion worldwide.