Kathleen Kennedy, steward of ‘Star Wars,’ steps down from Lucasfilm

After more than 13 years at the helm of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from the “Star Wars” factory founded by George Lucas.

The Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday that Dave Filoni will now steer “Star Wars,” as president and chief creative officer, into its sixth decade and beyond. Filoni, who previously served as the chief commercial officer of Lucasfilm, will share leadership responsibilities with Lynwen Brennan, who becomes co-president while maintaining her role as president and general manager of Lucasfilm’s businesses.

“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” Kennedy said in a statement. “It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm.”

Kennedy was personally selected by Lucas to succeed him when Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion in 2012. Bob Iger, chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Co., praised Kennedy as “a visionary filmmaker” in the announcement.

Under Kennedy’s leadership, Lucasfilm generated more than $5.6 billion in box office revenue and helped establish Disney+ as a premier streaming platform. These accomplishments easily justified Disney’s substantial investment in the company, but her tenure was not without significant challenges.

Kennedy oversaw a highly lucrative but often contentious period in the franchise’s history. The era produced a blockbuster trilogy and acclaimed streaming series such as “The Mandalorian” and “Andor,” but also faced mounting criticism from longtime fans who felt the new direction strayed from what made the original trilogy beloved.

Her biggest success came early with 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The J.J. Abrams-directed film grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. However, the subsequent installment, Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” (2017), proved deeply divisive among the fanbase. The trilogy concluded with Abrams’ “The Rise of Skywalker” (2019), which was widely criticized by both critics and fans.

Following “The Rise of Skywalker,” the franchise went dark on the big screen despite numerous announced projects. The theatrical drought is scheduled to end in May with Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian & Grogu,” but the intervening years have been marked by uncertainty about the franchise’s cinematic future, despite streaming successes.

Production difficulties frequently plagued Kennedy’s tenure. The 2018 Han Solo spinoff “Solo: A Star Wars Story” saw directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller fired during production and replaced by Ron Howard. The resulting film disappointed both critically and commercially. More recently, Adam Driver revealed that he and Steven Soderbergh had developed a Ben Solo film with Kennedy’s support for two years before Disney chief Bob Iger ultimately rejected it, prompting fan protests.

Among theatrical releases during Kennedy’s leadership, 2016’s “Rogue One” stands out as the most universally acclaimed by the fanbase. Despite also experiencing production challenges that led to Tony Gilroy overseeing reshoots, the film successfully balanced honoring the franchise’s legacy while breaking new ground.

Filoni, Kennedy’s successor, has established his reputation primarily through television work. He entered the franchise with the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and has served as executive producer on numerous Disney+ series including “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” and “Skeleton Crew.” He recently created “Ahsoka,” which received mixed reviews. Filoni first collaborated with Lucas on “Avatar: The Last Airbender” before joining the Star Wars universe.

“From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling on-screen that we have ever seen,” Filoni said. “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.”

Before joining Lucasfilm, Kennedy was one of Hollywood’s most successful producers. In 1981, she co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and her eventual husband, Frank Marshall. Her impressive producing credits include “E.T.,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Jurassic Park” and the “Back to the Future” trilogy.

Kennedy’s influence will continue to be felt in the franchise for years to come, with several projects she developed still in the pipeline, including Shawn Levy’s “Star Wars: Starfighter” starring Ryan Gosling, scheduled for release in May 2027.