For a moment, let’s forget about screenwriter Michael Arndt or the number of potential Episode VII directors bouncing around the rumour mill. The head creatives on the next Star Wars project are, if you’ll forgive the obvious allegory, the Darth Vaders of the franchise; the talented henchmen. Look beyond them and you’ll see Kathleen Kennedy, the one who holds the future of the franchise in her hands. Star Wars’ new Emperor, if you will.

For many casual moviegoers, the name doesn’t immediately evoke one of the most important people in the movie business today. Although Kennedy has played an intrinsic part in some of the most popular blockbusters from the last thirty years, she’s rarely in the spotlight, traditionally playing second fiddle to her frequent partner-in-crime, Steven Spielberg. She’s also a producer, and - let’s face it - producers are usually thought of as faceless Hollywood ‘suits,’ those who dot the i’s and cross the t’s behind the scenes.But what’s so remarkable about Kennedy is her nose for good working partnerships and terrific stories. Alongside Lucas and Spielberg, she’s worked with Clint Eastwood, Robert Zemeckis, David Fincher and Martin Scorsese. She’s produced some of the greatest movies of all time, paving the way for the modern blockbuster. She’s also one of the most respected figures amongst her peers in Tinseltown, ranking #31 on Entertainment Weekly's ‘The 50 Smartest People in Hollywood’ in 2007. So in the interests of keeping a keen eye on the evolution of George Lucas’ gift of a franchise - and it is indeed a gift - here’s all you need to know about Kathleen Kennedy.

The ‘80s, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg

The Kennedy/Marshall Company

Lucasfilm

Loading

Kennedy caught Steven Spielberg’s eye while working as a production assistant on 1941. The director brought her on as his personal associate on 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark, which was also her first collaboration with Lucas. During the period, she, Spielberg, and her future husband Frank Marshall formed Amblin Entertainment, the production company now synonymous with Spielberg and his close-knit buddy-buddy group of contemporaries.For Kennedy and Marshall, it was remarkable timing. They may not have known it, but Spielberg’s star was about to soar into the stratosphere thanks to 1982’s E.T., for which Kennedy gained her first production credit. At the time, Kennedy was crippled with nerves – after all, she’d only had a couple of experiences on big-scale productions – and was violently ill with the stress. But E.T. was a resounding success, grossing just short of $800 million and nabbing Kennedy her first Academy Award nomination at age 29. Nerves, schmerves.Spielberg, Kennedy and Marshall grew to become a powerhouse triumvirate in Hollywood. For many of us who grew up during the day-glo decade into the ‘90s, Kennedy, Spielberg and Marshall were entwined with our childhoods, whether we knew it or not. Gremlins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Hook, Back to the Future, *Batteries Not Included, An American Tail, The Land Before Time and The Goonies were amongst their early theatrical offerings. And on the small screen? The remarkable Amazing Stories, Tiny Toon Adventures, SeaQuest DSV, and Animaniacs. To this day, the production company holds onto a slightly dangerous and edgy ‘80s sensibility, particularly in its family fare. It’s telling that 2011’s nostalgic sci-fi romp Super 8 was produced by Amblin.Although Kennedy branched away from the company in 1991, she continued to work with Spielberg on both his big commercial hits and his smaller, more personal films. The Temple of Doom (again, with Lucas), The Color Purple, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Munich, The Lost World, A.I., War of the Worlds, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Lucas), Tintin and War Horse were all directed by Spielberg and produced, or executive produced, by Kennedy. Their latest collaboration, Lincoln, is currently screening in cinemas, and looks like it’ll be another big-hitter at next year’s Academy Awards.It was through the Kennedy/Marshall Company, formed in 1991, that Kennedy and her husband were able to carve out identities away from Spielberg. She’s always cited her attraction to great stories above all, and the Kennedy/Marshall filmography can lay claims to a handful of the boldest mainstream hits of the last ten years. Their prestige reached new heights in 1999 with The Sixth Sense, and continued to grow through the new decade with The Bourne Identity (2002), Seabiscuit (2003), and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008).Amongst the American Oscar-bait and slick action flicks, Kennedy found time to focus on more intimate projects, bringing prestige pics like French biopic The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and art-house animation Persepolis into fruition. The Kennedy/Marshall Company is also responsible for the American versions of two recent Studio Ghibli productions, Ponyo and The Secret World of Arriety.Together, the duo has brought over 90 films to the big screen. In terms of box office domestic box office receipts, Kennedy is second only to one. Spielberg.In June 2012, Kennedy was named co-chair of Lucasfilm. Considering Kennedy/Marshall had just signed a lucrative deal at CBS, it was a move that befuddled many. Why would one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood leave her own baby to sign on as co-chair to a company the CEO of which seemed to be shuffling his way towards retirement?And then came the $4.05 billion Disney acquisition , announced last month. Lucas stepped down, Kathy was named President, and now has full control over the future of the lucrative franchise. Considering their close working relationship, one can only assume that Kennedy and Lucas began discussions well before work on Lincoln began, and indeed, that the Disney deal was always a part of these discussions. The Disney/Lucas revelation rollout is still ongoing. But one thing is for certain: George Lucas has complete faith in Kathleen Kennedy.“I don’t have to give advice to Kathy,” he said, during the most recent of his chat series with the producer. “She knows what to do. I mean, she knows better than I do.“She has all the qualities to run a company like this. To make it great.”Kennedy has kept her cards close to her chest since the announcement. But if we look back at some of her most recent interviews, it’s clear she’s got a firm grasp of today’s landscape. “I do think the movie industry is changing” she said in an interview with Collider , after the recent release of E.T. on Blu-ray. “I’ve been doing this a long time, I love it but I really want to know where this is all going, where the creative process is going. Some of the things that are going on with distribution online… across many different platforms and in a wide variety of formats, I actually see as a good thing. I think it’s very exciting. That’s what’s intriguing to me; hopefully being at the forefront of figuring out what that might be.”In Kennedy we trust?In Kennedy we trust.

Lucy O'Brien is Assistant Editor at IGN AU. You should talk to her about games, horror movies and the TV show Freaks & Geeks on IGN at,or follow heron Twitter. If you like what you're readin', meet the rest of the Australian team by joining the IGN Australia