A few days ago, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Lynne Hale will be retiring at the end of 2021 from her role running Lucasfilm’s PR, stepping down from the role of VP, Publicity & Communications. Hale had been running the company’s public relations for 35 years, working for many years alongside George Lucas and, in recent years, with Kathy Kennedy.
Today, The Hollywood Reporter ran a report saying that the company has already found Hale’s replacement, as Chris Coxall will be hired as the VP, Publicity & Communications at Lucasfilm.
According to THR, Coxall joined Disney in 2013 and has worked in the promotional campaigns for many of Disney’s major brands including Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation and other Disney films. Of particular note to his new position, Coxall has worked on every Star Wars project that Lucasfilm has done since the Disney acquisition, since The Force Awakens, so he’s obviously very familiar with what goes into the role. And not only does he understand what goes into the role of Star Wars marketing, but he also has an impressive resume and track record with other properties as well.
And that’s precisely what Star Wars needs as much of as possible in the coming days: people who understand what makes Star Wars unique and so beloved, but who also have enough experience outside of it to help it grow in ways that are natural and appropriate. That seems to be what Coxall can do, and I think that’s precisely what Lucasfilm needs for their PR moving forward.
According to THR, here’s what Coxall’s job entails:
“In his new role, Coxall will serve as the primary spokesperson for Lucasfilm and develop its overall communications strategy. He will lead publicity on all Lucasfilm features and episodic projects and oversee fan relations. He will also create strategic communications plans for initiatives such as May the 4th and the fan convention Star Wars Celebration. He will continue to work closely with Disney Studio’s publicity team.”
That’s a significant role, and it’s certainly not an easy one with this franchise. I won’t pretend to know much about him, but this all seems to indicate that Coxall is a good choice and will do a good job stepping into the role. Let’s hope so, since there are going to be plenty of Star Wars projects coming in the next few years!
Star Wars Thoughts 