Info in Movie News | Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, is rumored to be stepping down soon, but she has strongly opposed all such reports. There were claims previously that Kennedy would step down from her position at the end of 2025, but she said that she will be there for all the years because she has not even thought of retiring from the film industry until now.
Kennedy made her stance unmistakably clear—retirement is not in her plans. Speaking in an interview with Deadline, she emphasized her lifelong commitment to filmmaking, stating that she intends to keep creating movies for as long as she lives.
“I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring.”
The Succession Plan and Future of Lucasfilm
While Kennedy, according IGN, consistently maintains her stance, she also acknowledges that succession dialogue has already begun with Bob Iger, CEO of Disney. Dave Filoni's name, creator of Star Wars Rebels and current Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm, is mentioned as a potential candidate to succeed her.
Kennedy acknowledges that her time at Lucasfilm won’t last forever. Reflecting on her journey, she recalls how George Lucas personally entrusted her with leading the company 13 years ago. Now, she is actively considering who will take over when the time comes. With a strong internal team managing both the business and creative aspects of the studio, Kennedy emphasizes that the transition, whenever it happens, will be carefully planned.
Kennedy also revealed that the role of Lucasfilm's President has evolved dramatically since she took over, especially with the emergence of streaming services like Disney+ airing Star Wars series such as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Acolyte.
Still Leading Major Star Wars Projects
Kennedy stresses that although there are discussions about succession, she continues to be actively involved in several significant Star Wars initiatives. At present, she is producing The Mandalorian movie and another Star Wars endeavor directed by Shawn Levy, renowned for Deadpool and Wolverine.
“We have every intention of making an announcement months or a year down the road,” she stated, referring to the potential leadership change at Lucasfilm.
A firm denial came from Kennedy who stated that the ongoing rumors of her being asked to leave the company are completely groundless. Loud and clear, she told us how she got to that decision and that she is the one who decides if this will be a future transition at all if it is.
By her leadership of the Lucasfilm, Kennedy has rocked the boat on a few good projects such as the Star Wars sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX) on film while also at the same time been very keen on expanding the franchise to streaming services. On the one hand, excellent projects such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens did wonderfully, but others such as Solo: A Star Wars Story did not do well financially.
When asked by Deadline whether she would genuinely leave her position this year, Kennedy provided an open-ended answer: “I don’t know at this stage,” she said. “But it would be 100% my decision.”
With several major projects still ongoing, it seems that Kennedy will undoubtedly have a considerable influence on the future of Star Wars, even as discussions about her successor continue.
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