After nearly 14 years guiding one of the most scrutinized franchises in modern entertainment, Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm, closing a chapter defined by blockbuster success, cultural friction, and relentless fan scrutiny. Kennedy will return to full-time producing as the studio transitions leadership to longtime insiders Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan.
Disney confirmed Thursday that Filoni will assume the role of President and Chief Creative Officer, while Brennan will serve as Co-President overseeing business and operations. Both executives will report to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, signaling a leadership model that balances creative continuity with operational stability.
Disney CEO Bob Iger framed the moment as both an ending and a reaffirmation of trust in Lucasfilm’s internal leadership. “When we acquired Lucasfilm more than a decade ago, we knew we were bringing into the Disney family not only one of the most beloved storytelling universes ever created, but also a team of extraordinary talent led by a visionary filmmaker,” Iger said, calling Kennedy’s tenure a period of stewardship over an “iconic studio and brand.”
Kennedy’s run was anything but quiet. Taking over Lucasfilm in 2012 after George Lucas sold the company to Disney for $4 billion, she was tasked with restarting Star Wars for a global, multigenerational audience. The results were immediate and enormous. The Force Awakens reignited the franchise with record-shattering box office numbers, followed by Rogue One, which also crossed the billion-dollar mark.
Under her leadership, Lucasfilm successfully pivoted to television, with The Mandalorian becoming a cornerstone of Disney+ and Andor earning acclaim for its politically charged, adult storytelling. Kennedy also expanded the universe through animated series, publishing, and games, presiding over the largest onscreen expansion in Star Wars history.
But her tenure unfolded amid turbulence. Creative shakeups, canceled projects, and the box office disappointment of Solo slowed theatrical momentum. Kennedy also became a frequent target of online backlash for prioritizing diversity and new voices within the franchise, placing Lucasfilm at the center of ongoing culture-war debates.
Looking back, Kennedy struck a reflective tone. “When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” she said. “It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm. Their creativity and dedication have been an inspiration.”
Her successors are deeply rooted in the studio’s DNA. Filoni, who joined Lucasfilm in 2005 and was mentored directly by George Lucas, has earned rare credibility among longtime fans. His work on The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka helped redefine Star Wars for the streaming era.
“My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas,” Filoni said. “From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling onscreen that we have ever seen.”
Brennan, a 27-year Lucasfilm veteran, began her career at Industrial Light & Magic and later oversaw Lucasfilm’s business operations, games, and consumer products. She described the studio as “a community of inspiring storytellers with a rebel spirit like no other,” and expressed confidence in Filoni’s creative leadership moving forward.
Disney’s decision to elevate two internal leaders reads as both reassurance to fans and a signal of strategic patience. Upcoming films, including The Mandalorian and Grogu and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, remain in active development, with Kennedy continuing as a producer on both.
As Lucasfilm enters its next chapter, the shift is less about reinvention than consolidation. The Force isn’t being rewritten, but it is being carefully recalibrated, guided by veterans shaped by the very galaxy they now inherit.
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