Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down after more than 13 years at the helm of Lucasfilm, ending a defining era for the “Star Wars” franchise founded by George Lucas.
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The Walt Disney Company announced on Thursday that Dave Filoni will take charge of Lucasfilm as president and chief creative officer, guiding “Star Wars” into its sixth decade and beyond. Filoni will serve alongside Lynwen Brennan, president and general manager of Lucasfilm’s business operations, who has been named co-president.
“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” Kennedy said in a statement. “It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm.”
Kennedy, personally chosen by Lucas as his successor, has led the studio since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012. Disney chief executive Bob Iger praised her as “a visionary filmmaker,” crediting her with expanding the Star Wars universe and steering the franchise through a transformative period.
During Kennedy’s tenure, Lucasfilm generated more than $5.6 billion at the global box office and played a key role in establishing Disney+ through successful series such as The Mandalorian and Andor. However, her leadership also coincided with growing divisions among longtime fans, particularly over the sequel trilogy and the direction of the franchise on the big screen.
While commercially successful, Lucasfilm under Kennedy struggled to replicate the cultural impact of the original Star Wars trilogy released in the late 1970s and early 1980s, leading to ongoing debate among loyalists.
Filoni, widely seen as a protégé of George Lucas, has built his reputation largely in television. He first entered the Star Wars universe with the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and later created the Disney+ series Ahsoka. He has also served as an executive producer on The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Skeleton Crew.
Disney’s decision signals a renewed focus on creative continuity as Lucasfilm looks to chart the future of one of cinema’s most valuable and influential franchises.
