Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy steps down

There’s been a disturbance in the org chart. On Thursday, Disney officially confirmed that longtime Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was stepping down from her leadership role. Two executives take her place: Dave Filoni will take on creative leadership of Lucasfilm as president and chief creative officer, and Lynwen Brennan will serve as co-president, overseeing the future of Star Wars as a dyad.

Kennedy won’t simply disappear into a pile of Jedi robes, however. Instead, she will transition back to full-time producing, including Lucasfilm’s upcoming feature films The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, arriving in theaters in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Filoni has been part of Lucasfilm since 2005, and has helped shape the creative direction of the Star Wars universe in series like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian. He was instrumental in establishing the company’s animation studio and worked closely with Star Wars creator George Lucas. Filoni currently serves as showrunner for Ahsoka, now in production for its second season, and is teaming with Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Brennan has been with Lucasfilm since 1999, working 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 and GM of Lucasfilm Business in 2024.

“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,” said Bob Iger, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, in a news release announcing Kennedy, Filoni, and Brennan’s moves. “We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”

Kennedy took over Lucasfilm in 2012, stepping in for George Lucas, who sold the studio to Disney that same year for $4 billion. In addition to serving as president of Lucasfilm for 14 years, Kennedy was a co-founder of Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall. She produced landmark films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Schindler’s List, and The Sixth Sense.

“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” said Kennedy in a statement. “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.”

“My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas,” said Filoni. “I never dreamed I would be privileged to learn the craft of filmmaking from both of them. From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling onscreen that we have ever seen. 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.”

“Lucasfilm has played such a meaningful part in my life,” said Brennan. “It’s a community of inspiring storytellers with a rebel spirit like no other, and I am honored to join Dave Filoni in leading us forward. I have been so fortunate to learn from George Lucas, Kathy Kennedy, and Alan Bergman and have unwavering faith in Dave’s creative vision for the next chapter in this storied studio’s legacy.”