Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm after nearly 14 years and will return to full-time producing, while Dave Filoni becomes president and chief creative officer and Lynwen Brennan becomes co-president.
Kennedy, whose impending exit had been an open secret for some time in Hollywood circles, will serve as producer on Lucasfilm’s upcoming tentpoles The Mandalorian And Grogu this May and Star Wars: Starfighter in 2027.
Since she was named head of Lucasfilm in 2012, Kennedy has expanded the Star Wars and Indiana Jones universes with new trilogies, sequels and spin-offs, led by Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, which grossed $936.7m and remains the highest-grossing film of all time at the North American box office in unadjusted terms.
The release of Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian And Grogu on May 22 and next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter from Shawn Levy starring Ryan Gosling have assuaged concerns in recent years that the franchise had lost momentum since the last instalment, 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker.
Kennedy was a co-founder of Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, and her producer credits include E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Munich, The Sixth Sense, and Lincoln.
Filoni will assume creative leadership of Lucasfilm. He joined in 2005 and the company said on Thursday he had played “a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction of the Star Wars universe”. Working with George Lucas, Filoni established the animation studio and expanded the Star Wars franchise, working as a showrunner on series like Ahsoka, which is in production on its second season, and teaming with Favreau on The Mandalorian And Grogu.
Brennan joined in 1999, starting at Industrial Light & Magic where she rose through the ranks to become its leader in 2009. She was appointed general manager of Lucasfilm in 2015 and president & general manager of Lucasfilm Business in 2024. Both Filoni and Brennan report to Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman.
“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 and enduring storytelling universes ever created, but also a team of extraordinary talent led by a visionary filmmaker – someone who had been handpicked by George Lucas himself, no less,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said. “We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”
“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” Kennedy 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, and I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I’m excited to continue developing films and television with both longtime collaborators and fresh voices who represent the future of storytelling.”
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