2028 Los Angeles Olympics: Kathleen Kennedy replaces Peter Rice after her ‘Star Wars’ exit

In Los Angeles, Kathleen Kennedy is taking charge of the show itself — the pageantry, the music cues, the camera choreography — overseeing all four ceremonies for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and Paralympics. She’ll work with creative director Ben Winston, while Peter Rice — who previously held the top ceremonies job — will remain on as executive producer, a handoff first reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

• Olympic Opening Ceremony — July 14, 2028
• Olympic Closing Ceremony — July 30, 2028
• Paralympic Opening Ceremony — August 15, 2028
• Paralympic Closing Ceremony — August 27, 2028

Kennedy stepped down as Lucasfilm president in January 2026 after a 14-year run and now trades star destroyers for stadiums. She and her husband, producer Frank Marshall, have been regulars at the Games since 1984, a personal streak she’s about to turn into her biggest live production yet.

“A touchstone in my life… one of the great unifying experiences we share.”

Kennedy said of the Olympics in remarks shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

Rice’s next act at Netflix

On the studio side of town, Peter Rice was named Netflix chief content officer on October 15, 2026, with the role effective October 26, replacing Bela Bajaria after nearly a decade in that post. His remit spans scripted and unscripted series, films and live events worldwide.

Rice’s résumé runs from Fox Searchlight — where he oversaw awards-season hits like Slumdog Millionaire and Juno — to leading Fox Networks Group and then Walt Disney Television through June 2022. More recently, under a nonexclusive pact with A24, he produced Saturday Night and 28 Years Later. With Netflix now his full-time focus, he remains attached to LA28’s ceremonies as executive producer while Kennedy runs the creative floor.

The Olympic Opening Ceremony is set for July 14, 2028, with the Paralympics closing on August 27.