LA28 names Kathleen Kennedy to replace Peter Rice as head of Olympic ceremonies

The leadership transition at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Committee was triggered by a competing global role. Peter Rice, formerly the head of ceremonies and content for the upcoming Games, accepted a position as Netflix's chief content officer. That role involves overseeing scripted and unscripted series, film, and live events across all territories. Insiders questioned how Rice could manage such a massive portfolio while retaining his duties in Los Angeles. LA28 resolved the conflict by appointing Kathleen Kennedy to take over as head of ceremonies and content.

LA28 confirmed the appointment on Tuesday. Rice will not leave the organization entirely; he will remain on as an executive producer. Kennedy will step into the role of executive producer, a position that involves shaping the opening and closing ceremonies for the back-to-back Olympic and Paralympic events. These four separate ceremonies are expected to reach an audience of billions worldwide. Kennedy will work from the early development phase through to production and execution. She will collaborate with Ben Winston, the executive producer and creative director, and Scott Givens, the executive producer of production. FulFive, a new entity formed by Fulwell Entertainment and FiveCurrents, supports the production effort.

Kennedy is a veteran Hollywood producer with more than 100 credits dating back to the early 1980s. Her films have received 120 Academy Award nominations and secured 25 wins. She has produced major franchises in the Star Wars universe as well as character studies and comedies. She operates the Kennedy/Marshall Company alongside her husband, Frank Marshall. Kennedy departed her 14-year leadership role at Lucasfilm earlier in 2026. She is currently finishing the release of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, with the film Star Wars: Starfighter scheduled for 2027.

Casey Wasserman, the chairperson and president of LA28, praised the new appointment in a statement. He described Kennedy as a legend and one of Hollywood's all-time greats, citing her rare gift for storytelling. Wasserman stated that he could not think of anyone better to conjure the magic of Hollywood for the 2028 Games.

Kennedy responded by crediting Wasserman for his bold vision regarding what the Games mean for Los Angeles and the world. She noted that the Olympics have been a touchstone in her life for decades. She and her husband have attended virtually every Games since Los Angeles 1984. Kennedy said she is honored to help celebrate every Olympian and Paralympian who will come to compete. The Games will feature events across multiple locations, including Oklahoma City and six soccer cities, allowing all of America to host the world's finest athletes.

The Olympic connection runs deep in Kennedy's household. She produced the short documentary Olympic Glory, which covered the 1998 Nagano Games and was directed by Kieth Merrill. Her husband, Frank Marshall, received an Olympic Shield in 2005 for his contributions to the Olympic and Paralympic movements. He served on the executive committee of the U.S. Olympic Committee for more than a decade.

Rice originally stepped into the LA28 role in 2025. At that time, Wasserman told The Hollywood Reporter that Rice was his number one overall pick among candidates. Wasserman said the organization did not have to engage in meaningful conversations with anyone else after selecting Rice. He emphasized that Los Angeles is the creative capital of the world and that the Games must exceed expectations.

Kennedy recently discussed the challenge of working with long-running franchises at Bloomberg's Screentime event in Los Angeles. She noted that while these properties hold deep meaning for many people, the goal is to create something new and original. Her work includes producing films with directors such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and J.J. Abrams. Her credits include E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Indiana Jones franchise, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, and the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

The 2028 Olympic Games are scheduled to begin with an opening ceremony on July 14, 2028, and conclude with a closing ceremony on July 30, 2028. Venues will include the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and 2028 Stadium. The Paralympic opening ceremony is set for August 15, 2028, with the closing ceremony taking place at the Coliseum on August 27, 2028.

LA28 also revealed a new official slogan on Wednesday: Stars Align. The organization designed the phrase as a rallying cry and an invitation for athletes to compete on the world's biggest stage. It sits alongside the official Olympic motto of Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together and the Paralympic motto of Change Starts with Sport. The slogan debuted in a short promotional video that features the song Can't Stop by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.