After an impressive 13-year tenure leading Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy has announced her resignation as president of the studio responsible for Star Wars. The Walt Disney Company made the announcement on Thursday.
In her stead, Disney has appointed Dave Filoni as the new president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm, tasking him with steering the future direction of the Star Wars franchise. Lynwen Brennan, who is the president and general manager of business operations at Lucasfilm, will collaborate with Filoni as co-president. Both executives will report to Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment.
Kathleen Kennedy, originally handpicked by Star Wars creator George Lucas, took over Lucasfilm following Disney's acquisition of the company in 2012 for $4.05 billion. Under her leadership, Lucasfilm saw box office revenues exceeding $5.6 billion globally and greatly contributed to establishing Disney+ as a leading streaming service.
Kennedy expressed her gratitude in her statement, calling it a privilege to lead Lucasfilm and to collaborate with its creative teams. Disney CEO Bob Iger referred to her as a “visionary filmmaker” who expanded the storytelling landscape of Star Wars through both film and streaming mediums.
During her time at Lucasfilm, Kennedy presided over major hits, including Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which grossed over $2 billion globally. However, subsequent films like The Last Jedi (2017) and The Rise of Skywalker (2019) received mixed reactions from fans and critics alike. Following 2019, the franchise paused theatrical releases to focus on streaming content instead.
Among the successes of this era were Disney+ series such as The Mandalorian and Andor, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) being the only movie during Kennedy’s leadership to receive widespread acclaim.
Dave Filoni, renowned for his contributions to Star Wars: The Clone Wars and serving as an executive producer on The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew, has a long-standing relationship with George Lucas and is viewed as a vital creative force with deep ties to the franchise.
Filoni expressed his gratitude to Kennedy, Lucas, and Disney's leadership for the trust placed in him, emphasizing his honor in guiding Star Wars into its next phase.
The upcoming Star Wars film, titled “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” is slated for release in May 2026, marking the end of the lengthy hiatus for theatrical releases. In addition, several Kennedy-approved projects, including “Star Wars: Starfighter” featuring Ryan Gosling, are in varying stages of development and set for May 2027.
While a new chapter begins with Filoni at the helm, Kennedy’s influence will undoubtedly continue to impact forthcoming Star Wars projects.
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