It's official: Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as the head of the Star Wars franchise.
After months of speculation, Kennedy's 14-year tenure overseeing the Disney subsidiary will soon come to an end. Her impending departure was first announced on the official Star Wars website last night (January 15).
Alongside Kennedy's exit, Lucasfilm and parent company Disney revealed her successors. Dave Filoni, long viewed as Kennedy's natural successor, will take on the roles of Lucasfilm President and Chief Creative Officer for the Star Wars franchise, with Lynwen Brennan serving as Co-President.
With over 30 years of experience across various Star Wars and other Lucasfilm projects, Filoni and Brennan are seen as a reliable team capable of guiding the beloved galaxy into new and exciting directions. The pressing question now is: will they succeed?
The Rule of Two
Filoni and Brennan possess the talent, dedication, and passion for the Star Wars universe that could usher in a new era of original storytelling.
There is ample evidence suggesting they will. Since joining Lucasfilm to direct Star Wars: The Clone Wars' animated feature film, Filoni has increasingly influenced the franchise's direction. His impact has been particularly notable during the streaming era, having created and executive produced numerous Disney+ shows amid the streaming boom.
While not every project has been a hit, Filoni has overseen critically acclaimed and popular series, including Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and, of course, The Mandalorian.
Brennan's 25-year career at Lucasfilm has been less visible than Filoni's, but she has steadily risen through the ranks. Joining Lucasfilm's Industrial Light & Magic in 1999, she became the leader of that division in 2009 and was promoted to Lucasfilm General Manager in 2015. Now, she is set to apply her leadership and business acumen to co-run the studio she has called home for 27 years.
Will the Force Reawaken Under Filoni and Brennan's Leadership?
As Filoni and Brennan prepare to take control of Lucasfilm, they inherit a beloved franchise that has struggled in recent years.
It's been eight years since the last Star Wars movie, the overly cautious The Rise of Skywalker. While this cinematic hiatus will end in mid-2026 with the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu, questions remain about its potential success and whether it is the right film to mark the franchise's return.
Indeed, Mando and Baby Yoda's silver-screen debut appears to be a reworked version of what should have been The Mandalorian season 4. Coupled with the lack of excitement surrounding the film, its sluggish marketing – with only one trailer released so far – and its connection to the series' lowest-rated season, the Filoni-Brennan era may start off on shaky ground if the movie doesn't perform well.
There are additional movie-related challenges to address. Aside from The Mandalorian and Grogu and the Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter, set for release in May 2027, other new Star Wars movies have been stuck in development limbo.
In a recent Deadline interview during her farewell tour, Kennedy confirmed that scripts for various films had been submitted by Taika Waititi, Donald Glover, James Mangold/Beau Willimon, and Adam Driver/Scott Burns/Steven Soderbergh. Given that some of these projects have been in the works for years without progress, and Kennedy's comments about the industry's risk-averse nature regarding original films, it's uncertain if they will ever come to fruition.
On the television front, Lucasfilm shifted focus from theatrical releases to storytelling via Disney+, one of the world's leading streaming services.
This strategy initially paid off, with The Mandalorian driving millions of subscriptions in Disney+'s early days. Other series like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: Ahsoka also garnered popularity and acclaim, while shows like Andor and Star Wars: Visions received widespread recognition.
However, there have been notable failures. The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew failed to resonate with audiences, leading to accusations that the franchise had become too politically correct and lost touch with its core demographic. As a result, neither series was renewed for a second season.
Filoni and Brennan will face numerous pressing issues upon officially taking over from Kennedy. The three most critical challenges include revitalizing Star Wars on the big screen, prioritizing quality over quantity in their film and TV offerings, and most importantly, greenlighting projects that take bold creative risks appealing to all Star Wars fans.
If they can achieve these goals, Kennedy's successors may successfully steer the franchise back on course. If not, the Force may fade from one of Disney's most significant intellectual properties.