Kathleen Kennedy Exits Lucasfilm as George Lucas' Handpicked Successor Dave Filoni Seizes Star Wars Reins

After nearly 14 years running Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is out.

The Walt Disney Company announced on Thursday that Dave Filoni, who George Lucas personally brought on board back in 2005, will step up as president and chief creative officer. He won't be going it alone. Lynwen Brennan, the studio's business operations chief, has been named co-president.

Kennedy isn't disappearing entirely. She'll stick around as producer on The Mandalorian and Grogu, hitting cinemas on 22 May 2026, and Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter, due 28 May 2027. After that, she plans to strike out on her own.

'When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn't have imagined what lay ahead,' Kennedy said in the announcement. She added: '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.'

Two Years of Planning Behind Closed Doors

None of this happened overnight. Kennedy told Deadline she first sat down with Disney CEO Bob Iger and entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman two years ago to hash out a succession plan. Filoni and Brennan? Her picks.

Iger was full of praise. '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,' he was quoted in the statement.

Both new leaders will report to Bergman. The setup mirrors how Disney runs Pixar and Walt Disney Animation - one creative head, one business head.

A $5.9 Billion Run at the Box Office

Kennedy's tenure produced five theatrical Star Wars films that pulled in $5.9 billion (£4.8 billion) globally, per Variety. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, released in 2015, still holds the record as the highest-grossing film ever in North America - $936.7 million (£758 million) domestic, over $2 billion (£1.6 billion) worldwide.

She also pushed Lucasfilm into streaming. The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Ahsoka - these shows gave Disney+ some serious firepower in its early days.

Before Lucasfilm, Kennedy spent decades building her reputation as one of Hollywood's most prolific producers. She co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and her husband, Frank Marshall, back in 1981. E.T. Jurassic Park. Back to the Future. Schindler's List. The Academy gave her the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 2018.

From Avatar to Star Wars: Filoni's Unlikely Path

Filoni wasn't always a Star Wars guy professionally. Lucas found him at Nickelodeon, where he was directing episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The offer to join Lucasfilm in 2005 and build an animation division? Filoni thought his colleagues were pranking him.

They weren't. Lucas wanted him to develop The Clone Wars, and Filoni delivered. Since then, he's racked up credits on Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka, which is currently shooting its second season. He's also teaming with Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian and Grogu film.

'From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling on-screen that we have ever seen,' Filoni said. 'I am incredibly grateful to Kathy, George, Bob Iger, and Alan Bergman for their trust.'

Brennan's background is different. She joined Industrial Light and Magic in 1999, worked her way up to president, then moved into broader business operations at Lucasfilm. Her promotion signals Disney wanted someone watching the bottom line, whilst Filoni focuses on storytelling.

'I have unwavering faith in Dave's creative vision for the next chapter in this storied studio's legacy,' Brennan said.

The shake-up arrives as Lucasfilm gears up for its first theatrical release since The Rise of Skywalker hit screens in December 2019. Several other Star Wars films remain in development from directors including James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and Donald Glover, though timelines remain unclear.