Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down

[Astyanax]

The heat turned up a notch in the Lucasfilm offices today.

Word is that Jon Favreau told Oscar Isaac in no uncertain terms NOT to appear at Star Wars Celebration this year. He was to be Kennedy's guest and the only remnant of the sequel trilogy at the event. Isaac has complied. Indirect evidence of this can be seen that Isaac claimed he has filming scheduling conflicts. If one were to look at his upcoming movies calendar, one would see clearly that there are no such conflicts.

Secondly, Gina Carano won a victory today in that the judge agreed that she can compel the discovery phase for her lawsuit. This is very bad news for Bob Iger, because it will reveal the extent of the damage Kennedy has done, on HIS watch more than Chapek's. Lucasfilm counsel has advised Iger to settle quickly, but Disney's corporate lawyers have been telling him another story. It's big decision time.

Finally, word is that Jon Favreau, rather than throw in the towel, has turned up the heat, aggressively making some moves to establish power as head of Lucasfilm.

Expect some more news in the media very soon!

 

[AnubisGuard]

The heat turned up a notch in the Lucasfilm offices today.

Word is that Jon Favreau told Oscar Isaac in no uncertain terms NOT to appear at Star Wars Celebration this year. He was to be Kennedy's guest and the only remnant of the sequel trilogy at the event. Isaac has complied. Indirect evidence of this can be seen that Isaac claimed he has filming scheduling conflicts. If one were to look at his upcoming movies calendar, one would see clearly that there are no such conflicts.

Secondly, Gina Carano won a victory today in that the judge agreed that she can compel the discovery phase for her lawsuit. This is very bad news for Bob Iger, because it will reveal the extent of the damage Kennedy has done, on HIS watch more than Chapek's. Lucasfilm counsel has advised Iger to settle quickly, but Disney's corporate lawyers have been telling him another story. It's big decision time.

Finally, word is that Jon Favreau, rather than throw in the towel, has turned up the heat, aggressively making some moves to establish power as head of Lucasfilm.

Expect some more news in the media very soon!

I don't mean to be rude, but this all seems like fanfic.

"Word is" from whom?

 

[Astyanax]

I don't mean to be rude, but this all seems like fanfic.

"Word is" from whom?

Totally fair, I agree, it does sound like fanboy fiction.

I will say there are some verifiable facts in the above, insofar as Isaac's cancellation and Carano's legal victory. I'm too lazy to post the news links, but they're out there.

As for the rest, all I can say is that I have a contact who has a contact inside Lucasfilm, and they have been right often enough to convince me of the veracity of what I'm hearing.

So sure, I have a few grains of salt lying around here somewhere if you'd like to partake...my goal here is to spread hope.

 

[batguy]

Offhand guess -
Bob Iger will settle that case to cover his butt. He would rather take a predictable amount of flak (for settling the case) than risk getting burned to an unknown degree by the discovery.


But those conflicting recommendations from the lawyers are interesting (at least to me). It sounds like Lucasfilm is more intent on keeping the books closed than Disney itself. Is that just a matter of where the liabilites/risks fall? Or is it because Lucasfilm has been keeping secrets from Disney?

 

[Astyanax]

Offhand guess -
Bob Iger will settle that case to cover his butt. He would rather take a predictable amount of flak (for settling the case) than risk getting burned to an unknown degree by the discovery.

I agree.

But those conflicting recommendations from the lawyers are interesting (at least to me). It sounds like Lucasfilm is more intent on keeping the books closed than Disney itself. Is that just a matter of where the liabilites/risks fall? Or is it because Lucasfilm has been keeping secrets from Disney?

I believe it is the former. I believe Iger knows all the dirty laundry, but not the Board, and obviously not the shareholders. I got the impression that Disney executive lawyers were convincing him that they can win the lawsuit against Carano. Which is bunk, considering the evidence she's bringing.

 

[asalaw]

Secondly, Gina Carano won a victory today in that the judge agreed that she can compel the discovery phase for her lawsuit. This is very bad news for Bob Iger, because it will reveal the extent of the damage Kennedy has done, on HIS watch more than Chapek's. Lucasfilm counsel has advised Iger to settle quickly, but Disney's corporate lawyers have been telling him another story. It's big decision time.

Well, not exactly.

A magistrate judge (not the trial judge) granted Carano's motion to compel in part and denied it in part. The order lays out the extent of salary information Disney/Lucasfilm will be required to disclose for purposes of determining damages, so that Carano's damages expert can have a basis for comparison with other actors' salaries on The Mandalorian and other Star Wars shows. This is all part of figuring out what Carano would have made in subsequent seasons of The Mandalorian but for her being fired, which, she argues, forms her monetary damages.

Importantly, the majority of this information will be subject to a protective order, meaning it will kept under seal unless it becomes relevant to specific motions or as evidence at trial. In the meantime, only Carano's attorneys and her expert witness will be able to see it because it will be designated Counsel Eyes Only. This is very common in corporate litigation, as parties must often exchange competition-sensitive or trade secret information during discovery without exposing their businesses to serious harm.

For more information, here's a link to a nice blog entry by an attorney who's tracking the case. It includes a link to the magistrate judge's order on the motion to compel, as well as a link to the parties' joint stipulation filing (over 200 pages). I highly recommend the article. It's short, written in lay terms, and very informative.

EDIT--It's probably not "big decision time" yet. That will come after Disney's motion for summary judgment, which won't happen till probably early fall, when discovery closes. If the judge denies the motion, or grants Carano's, then Disney may have a compelling reason to settle.

 

[Astyanax]

Well, not exactly.

A magistrate judge (not the trial judge) granted Carano's motion to compel in part and denied it in part. The order lays out the extent of salary information Disney/Lucasfilm will be required to disclose for purposes of determining damages, so that Carano's damages expert can have a basis for comparison with other actors' salaries on The Mandalorian and other Star Wars shows. This is all part of figuring out what Carano would have made in subsequent seasons of The Mandalorian but for her being fired, which, she argues, forms her monetary damages.

Importantly, the majority of this information will be subject to a protective order, meaning it will kept under seal unless it becomes relevant to specific motions or as evidence at trial. In the meantime, only Carano's attorneys and her expert witness will be able to see it because it will be designated Counsel Eyes Only. This is very common in corporate litigation, as parties must often exchange competition-sensitive or trade secret information during discovery without exposing their businesses to serious harm.

For more information, here's a link to a nice blog entry by an attorney who's tracking the case. It includes a link to the magistrate judge's order on the motion to compel, as well as a link to the parties' joint stipulation filing (over 200 pages). I highly recommend the article. It's short, written in lay terms, and very informative.

EDIT--It's probably not "big decision time" yet. That will come after Disney's motion for summary judgment, which won't happen till probably early fall, when discovery closes. If the judge denies the motion, or grants Carano's, then Disney may have a compelling reason to settle.

Wow, thanks for the info, much appreciated!

 

[joberg]

Great info asalaw What I don't understand is why Isaac is, suddenly, made persona non grata in the SW saga?

 

[Astyanax]

Great info asalaw What I don't understand is why Isaac is, suddenly, made persona non grata in the SW saga?

My understanding is that he's not persona non grata at all. But he was invited by Kennedy herself to appear at Celebration, and Favreau is flexing. I also understand that Isaac did what smart actors do...saw the winds of power changing and didn't make any trouble.

 

[cboath]

I agree w the big grain of salt bit. It isnt going to be shared knowledege what lfl and disney lawyers are telling anyone, let alone iger. I mean, thats grounds for firings and lawsuits right there.

 

[asalaw]

I agree w the big grain of salt bit. It isnt going to be shared knowledege what lfl and disney lawyers are telling anyone, let alone iger. I mean, thats grounds for firings and lawsuits right there.

What the lawyers are telling anyone at Disney or Lucasfilm, no, it's not--that'll be protected by attorney-client privilege and won't come out at trial or even be shared with Carano's side. What non-lawyers are talking about (to anyone, including Iger), however, could well come out, at least some of it. If/when Carano's attorneys file a motion for summary judgment after the close of discovery, you can bet there will be some fascinating emails and depo transcripts attached as exhibits.

One fun trick (which never, ever works) used by corporate executives who think they understand attorney-client privilege is to cc an attorney on the email, write "ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE" at the top, and then tell their deepest darkest secrets to Joe Blow in accounting or whomever.

That's not how A/C privilege works. You can't just launder your emails through legal and expect them to be protected. Legal privilege is fact-dependent, and is determined on a case-by-case basis via a multi-factor legal test. Each side has to produce a log of all documents they're asserting privilege over so the other side can determine whether they're trying to hide non-privileged documents in this way.

Legal departments constantly fight to educate employees about this, and yet I see the same thing every single day.

The point is, I won't be surprised if we see emails that Disney/Lucasfilm executives assumed would be privileged that wind up being exposed.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

The heat turned up a notch in the Lucasfilm offices today.

Word is that Jon Favreau told Oscar Isaac in no uncertain terms NOT to appear at Star Wars Celebration this year. He was to be Kennedy's guest and the only remnant of the sequel trilogy at the event. Isaac has complied. Indirect evidence of this can be seen that Isaac claimed he has filming scheduling conflicts. If one were to look at his upcoming movies calendar, one would see clearly that there are no such conflicts.

Secondly, Gina Carano won a victory today in that the judge agreed that she can compel the discovery phase for her lawsuit. This is very bad news for Bob Iger, because it will reveal the extent of the damage Kennedy has done, on HIS watch more than Chapek's. Lucasfilm counsel has advised Iger to settle quickly, but Disney's corporate lawyers have been telling him another story. It's big decision time.

Finally, word is that Jon Favreau, rather than throw in the towel, has turned up the heat, aggressively making some moves to establish power as head of Lucasfilm.

Expect some more news in the media very soon!

The source of this gripping tale didn’t happen to reside in a “hidden lair” and wear a mask that resembles a bald monkey, did they?

 

[Astyanax]

The source is this gripping tale didn’t happen to reside in a “hidden lair” and wear a mask that resembled a bald monkey, did they?

View attachment 1921357

Nope, Overlord DVD only deals in rage, not news. He cherry picks what will get clicks.

My source has no YouTube channel.

 

[AnubisGuard]

Nope, Overlord DVD only deals in rage, not news. He cherry picks what will get clicks.

My source has no YouTube channel.

Oh, is it the Patreon guy you told me about?

 

[Astyanax]

Oh, is it the Patreon guy you told me about?

 

[HeartBlade]

The heat turned up a notch in the Lucasfilm offices today.

Word is that Jon Favreau told Oscar Isaac in no uncertain terms NOT to appear at Star Wars Celebration this year. He was to be Kennedy's guest and the only remnant of the sequel trilogy at the event. Isaac has complied. Indirect evidence of this can be seen that Isaac claimed he has filming scheduling conflicts. If one were to look at his upcoming movies calendar, one would see clearly that there are no such conflicts.
Finally, word is that Jon Favreau, rather than throw in the towel, has turned up the heat, aggressively making some moves to establish power as head of Lucasfilm.

So Favreau is looking to make a power play in Lucasfilm? Is he team Filoni or his own independent team in a three-way against Kennedy and Filoni, all vying for the iron throne?

I honestly dont really care who is the head since Disney has already lost me on Star Wars and its going to take some good content to get me back. Never say never but Disney burned alot of good will for most fans imo.

Secondly, Gina Carano won a victory today in that the judge agreed that she can compel the discovery phase for her lawsuit. This is very bad news for Bob Iger, because it will reveal the extent of the damage Kennedy has done, on HIS watch more than Chapek's. Lucasfilm counsel has advised Iger to settle quickly, but Disney's corporate lawyers have been telling him another story. It's big decision time.

Im not a lawyer but isnt discovery basically allowing the lawsuit to go forward rather than just dismiss it so they can get evidence to support their claim? It means the suit may have some merit but doesnt mean Carano is going to win or even that her case is strong. Also dont see how this reveals the damage done by Kennedy since the discovery according to the linked site is on compensation for other actors. Im probably missing alot here so would anyone care to enlighten me?

Disney Ordered to Produce Salary Info for Star Wars Actors in Carano Lawsuit - Horton Law Firm

In the latest setback for Disney, a federal judge yesterday ordered Disney to produce the salary and compensation information for many of the main actors in Disney’s Star Wars television shows. Why Does Gina Carano Want to Know the Salaries of the Other Star Wars Actors? Carano seeks such...

hortonlawfirm.net

The site is pretty funny with a discussion of Luke losing his hand and employment compensation. Good way to advertise for a law firm.

 

[asalaw]

Im not a lawyer but isnt discovery basically allowing the lawsuit to go forward rather than just dismiss it so they can get evidence to support their claim? It means the suit may have some merit but doesnt mean Carano is going to win or even that her case is strong. Also dont see how this reveals the damage done by Kennedy since the discovery according to the linked site is on compensation for other actors. Im probably missing alot here so would anyone care to enlighten me?

Yes, this is correct--the judge denied Disney's motion to dismiss, which argued that they had a First Amendment right to fire Carano. The judge basically ruled that, at this stage, there's no evidence to back up their First Amendment defense, and Carano's case is legally plausible.

The discovery phase involves both sides exchanging documents (and they've already exchanged thousands of pages, probably mostly emails), and then they'll depose each other's witnesses, and then there will likely be cross-motions for summary judgment. Meaning Carano will say she's entitled to judgment as a matter of law based on the evidence produced in discovery, and Disney will file theirs saying they're entitled to the same. The judge's ruling on that will decide (possibly pending appeals) whether the case goes to trial.

In all likelihood, Disney will reassert their First Amendment defense in their summary judgment motion, but they don't have an easy case. The California statute Carano is suing under specifically protects her personal right to expressive behavior outside of work, which is what she was fired over. Disney would have to convince the judge that California's strong policy interest in protecting workers from censorious employers is less important than their First Amendment right to be a censorious employer. Not a case I'd want to be making.

 

[Halliwax]

The heat turned up a notch in the Lucasfilm offices today.

Word is that Jon Favreau told Oscar Isaac in no uncertain terms NOT to appear at Star Wars Celebration this year. He was to be Kennedy's guest and the only remnant of the sequel trilogy at the event. Isaac has complied. Indirect evidence of this can be seen that Isaac claimed he has filming scheduling conflicts. If one were to look at his upcoming movies calendar, one would see clearly that there are no such conflicts.

Secondly, Gina Carano won a victory today in that the judge agreed that she can compel the discovery phase for her lawsuit. This is very bad news for Bob Iger, because it will reveal the extent of the damage Kennedy has done, on HIS watch more than Chapek's. Lucasfilm counsel has advised Iger to settle quickly, but Disney's corporate lawyers have been telling him another story. It's big decision time.

Finally, word is that Jon Favreau, rather than throw in the towel, has turned up the heat, aggressively making some moves to establish power as head of Lucasfilm.

Expect some more news in the media very soon!

I have heard total opposite about favreau, I am being told he doesn’t even want to touch this franchise anymore

I wonder if any of this is true, gotta be frustrating lol

 

[batguy]

There have been sharply conflicting rumors about Favreau's feelings for the last several years.

My guess:
If he wanted out of SW then he could have been out by now. He probably has at least mixed feelings on the matter.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

Silence, all of you!

The Star Wars Man has issued a proclamation on this topic, which settles this discussion:

In addition, Mike predicted this specific turn of events, over 4 years ago.

Behold!