So Kathleen Kennedy has overseen 3 consecutive movies that have topped $1 billion, including 2 in the top 10 all time, and she’s in trouble? Come on. That’s crazy.
For all the hate Last Jedi received on the internet, it’s the 9th best box office of all time. There’s a clear plan for Episode IX and beyond with multiple movie lines coming (RJs and the GOTs guys).
On TV, Rebels ended its run as a solid success (maybe a single or double vs a HR, but still solid), and she just signed one of the most successful directors going to helm a live action show. This is a safe hire like hiring Nick Saban or Bill Belichek to coach your football team is a safe hire. Get someone good and proven and let them do their thing. That’s what she’s doing.
If anything, this shows she learned from what may have been earlier risks/mistakes when she hired younger, up and coming directors with mixed success.
Kennedy may not be around for all of this to happen but it will be because she decides to retire, not because Disney’s unhappy.
PS I doubt Solo reaches $1 billion, but if it hits $600 mil I’d bet Disney considers that a success for what has been a troubled project. Some things don’t work like you envisioned on the drawing board. A good leader makes the best of a bad situation. If Kennedy gets Solo to $600+, that’s a success at this point.