An empire enters a new age. The first post-Disney Star Wars dynasty is over.
Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as Lucasfilm president after 13 turbulent years in charge. She has officially quit as president of Lucasfilm, Disney’s subsidiary home to the Star Wars franchise.
Over the course of her reign, which began in 2012 when Disney officially acquired Lucasfilm and all of its properties, Kennedy oversaw one of the most productive and profitable periods in the history of the world’s most popular science-fiction saga.
Kennedy’s time at Star Wars will be remembered for ushering Star Wars into the modern content economy with the production of the three sequel movies to the Original Trilogy (1977-1983), two standalone feature films (Rogue One, Solo), five major TV series (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka, Andor), and dozens more of animated shows, video games, books and comics; all fuelling Star Wars’ status as arguably the most expansive fictional universe.
But, for every critically acclaimed production like Andor or the first instalment of the Sequel Trilogy, The Force Awakens, Lucasfilm’s ex-president has faced intense criticism from the old-school members of the Star Wars fanbase, coming to a head in the incredibly polarising release of The Last Jedi, which on the online review platform Rotten Tomatoes received a hugely positive 91% from critics and a scathing 41% from the audiences.
This of course might hardly matter to the executive board as Kennedy’s stewardship over the franchise brought in a total of $5.6 billion (€4.2 billion) in box office alone, good business considering the $4.2 billion (€3.6 billion) Disney paid to buy the firm.
Succession
Kennedy now hands over the reins of Lucasfilm to its current chief creative officer Dave Filoni, and Lynwenn Brennan, the studio’s business affairs and operations chief.
Filoni’s name should be well known to most of the Star Wars faithful. He was involved in some of the most beloved works within the franchise, such as the animated TV show Star Wars: Clone Wars (2008-2020) and more recently had a hand in creating Ahsoka (2023).
Filoni will retain his position as creative chief while also holding the title of president while Brennan will be co-president. Both are expected to preside over the day to day operations of the media company.
“From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling on-screen that we have ever seen,” said Filoni. “I am incredibly grateful to Kathy, George, Bob Iger, and Alan Bergman for their trust and the opportunity to lead Lucasfilm in this new role, doing a job I truly love. May the Force be with you.”
Before joining Lucasfilm, Kennedy was one of Hollywood’s most successful producers ever. In 1981, she co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and her eventual husband, Frank Marshall. She produced E.T., Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Jurassic Park and the Back to the Future trilogy.
Her final projects as president within the Star Wars franchise will be as executive producer on two upcoming Star Wars movies, The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter starring Ryan Gosling.