UPDATE: 2025-08-08 12:09 EST BY THOMAS BACON
Kathleen Kennedy issues full response to reports of her retirement
Kathleen Kennedy has spoken out about reports of her departure, insisting she is not retiring - but is working on succession planning. Check out our full coverage ofKennedy’s statement on her “retirement.”
Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy, who has overseenStar Warssince 2012, is reportedly stepping down this year. Chosen by George Lucas as her replacement, Kathleen Kennedy has been responsible for leading Lucasfilm since Disney’s purchase 13 years ago. She’s been a controversial and polarizing figure; evenSouth Parkreleased an episode blaming Kennedyfor problems at the studio, mocking both her decisions and her detractors. Insiders have insistedKennedy is no “woke warrior,“but instead is a careful and shrewd businesswoman.
Initially reported by Matthew Beloni ofPuck News,Kennedy - aged 71 - is stepping down this year. According to Beloni, three sources have confirmed she’s informed Disney, as well as friends and associates. “Kathy was actually planning to leave last year,” Beloni reports, “and had even set up an exit interview with a journalist, but she decided to stay for one more year.“Varietyhas now confirmed sources telling them Kennedy will step down when her contract finishes at the end of the year, although another source close to Kennedy dismissed this as “pure speculation.”
Kathleen Kennedy’s Departure Is Timed For A Major Star Wars Relaunch
She’s Overseen Successes & Failures
Kennedy’s tenure has been a controversial one, but that’s nothing new forStar Wars; the fandom has always been divided and divisive;George Lucas was warned young Anakin would destroyStar Wars, and modern viewers tend to underestimate just how controversial the prequels were.Kennedy was responsible for overseeing the sequel trilogy, which grossed over $4.4 billion in worldwide box office, albeit with diminishing returns. More recently, she was charged with reinventingStar Warsfor the Disney+ era; again, output has been decidedly mixed, but the cultural significance ofThe Mandalorianalone cannot be underestimated.
Kennedy is aged 71, which meant the smart money was on her retiring fairly soon. This seems rather well-timed;next year’sThe Mandalorian and Groguwill seeStar Warsreturn to the big screen at last, and it also feels as though there are signs the TV side is set to relaunch afterAndorseason 2. Her successor will take over at a key time, and no doubt many will assume she’ll be replaced by Dave Filoni, George Lucas' protégé.
Our Take On Kathleen Kennedy’s Departure
A Controversial Figure At A Challenging Time
Kennedy has often served as a lightning rod for criticism of the Disney era, and criticisms haven’t always been in good faith. We tend to underestimate the scale of the challenge she was faced with when she took over Lucasfilm in 2012; as Disney CEO Bob Iger noted in his autobiographyThe Ride of a Lifetime, the studio had no formal structure, no development pipeline, and nothing really in the works bar some sequel trilogy scripts by Lucas that would likely have been as controversial as the prequels. Kennedy had the responsibility for changing all that.
Kennedy’s Lucasfilm has had many successes; as heavily-criticized as the sequels may be, few trilogies gross $4.4 billion worldwide. Butshe’s also undoubtedly had many stumbles, with accounts of constant behind-the-scenes drama, an over-correction after the box office failure ofSolo: A Star Wars Story, and the fandom divided after the backlash andcancelation ofThe Acolytelast year. We already had a strong sense thatStar Warswas about to go through something of a relaunch, and this feels like the right time.
There will now be intense speculation over Kennedy’s successor. Most will assume Dave Filoni will take over; George Lucas' protégé, Filoni has been responsible for overseeing the various TV shows in recent years. But Filoni, too, has stumbled; he was more heavily involved withThe Mandalorianseason 3 than with previous seasons, and that proved to be something of a misstep forStar Wars. He also currently lacks significant filmmaking experience. It may be too soon for Filoni at this stage.
This year’s Star Wars Celebration feels like the critical moment for Lucasfilm andStar Wars. Assuming Beloni’s reports are accurate, it will mark the end of the Kennedy era and the beginning of something… new. Only time will tell what that is.
