Kathy Kennedy’s one word to describe The Rise of Skywalker: “Hope”

In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Lucasfilm President Kathy Kennedy was asked to give one word to sum up The Rise of Skywalker, the final film in the Skywalker saga.

Her choice?  “Hope.”

Going on to explain her answer, Kennedy said, “This is the epitome of good versus evil, and there’s a lot of conflict in this movie, but I think where it goes and what the resolution is is very hopeful.”

Hope is a common theme in Star Wars.  Episode IV is subtitled “A New Hope,” after all, and it’s about Luke Skywalker rising up as the galaxy’s new hope to defeat the evils of the Empire.  But then in Rogue One, the theme of hope is tied in throughout the film, including in the phrase, “Rebellions are built on hope!”  At its core, much of Star Wars has indeed been hopeful.  Heck, even the end of The Last Jedi set up Episode IX with the idea of hope, as Luke Skywalker has once again sparked hope in the galaxy.  So this is a theme that is quite integral to Star Wars, so it’s an appropriate word for Kennedy to use for a film that is seen as the final film in that saga.

But I think we should also look at this from another angle, too, because it might give us a hint as to what to expect (not that it should be surprising).  Kennedy says that there’s a lot of conflict in this movie but that the resolution to that is hopeful.  So presumably, as we’re leaving theaters this December having just watched a new Skywalker film for the final time, we’ll be leaving filled with hope.  Not because everything has gone perfect – no, it sounds like there will indeed be plenty of war and conflict in this movie – but because the way that all of that conflict is resolved leaves a good feeling.  I’ll let you decide what that means when it comes to Ben Solo…

Anyway, Kennedy was also asked whether this film will live up to the hype, and she’s very confident that it will.  “I think it will absolutely live up to the hype,” she said.  “I think we have all poured our heart and soul into making sure it lives up to the hype.  I think the story is pretty great.”