Kathleen Kennedy to step down as Lucasfilm president after 14 years leading Star Wars

Kathleen Kennedy is departing her role as president of Lucasfilm after 14 years overseeing the modern era of Star Wars, marking a major leadership transition at one of Hollywood’s most influential studios.

Kathleen Kennedy will step aside from day-to-day leadership and return to full-time producing, Lucasfilm announced Thursday. She has led the studio since 2012, when Disney acquired Lucasfilm, guiding the relaunch and expansion of the Star Wars franchise across film and television.

Taking over the studio’s leadership will be Dave Filoni, who has been named president and chief creative officer. He will be joined by longtime executive Lynwen Brennan, who steps into the role of co-president. Filoni credited Kennedy with shaping the current landscape of the franchise, saying her tenure oversaw “the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling onscreen.”

Kennedy was personally selected by Star Wars creator George Lucas to run the company and became president shortly before Disney finalised its purchase. During her tenure, Lucasfilm released five Star Wars feature films, beginning with The Force Awakens, and launched a major slate of Disney+ series including The Mandalorian, Ahsoka and Andor.

The period was marked by both major commercial success and public scrutiny. While the sequel trilogy generated billions at the global box office, Solo: A Star Wars Story became the franchise’s first theatrical underperformer. Kennedy also faced criticism from some fans over creative decisions and the shift away from decades of expanded-universe canon.

Before Lucasfilm, Kennedy built one of the most prolific producing careers in modern cinema, collaborating extensively with Steven Spielberg on films including E.T., Jurassic Park and The Sixth Sense.

Kennedy will remain involved with Lucasfilm as a producer on upcoming projects, including The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, which is slated for release in 2027.

“It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm,” Kennedy said. “I’m excited to continue developing films and television with both longtime collaborators and fresh voices.”