Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy steps down

Dave Filoni will take on creative leadership of Disney-owned Lucasfilm as President and Chief Creative Officer, while Lynwen Brennan will become Co-President. Both have held senior executive roles at the studio for more than 15 years.

The two newly appointed executives will report to Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment.

Filoni joined Lucasfilm in 2005 and has played a key role in shaping the creative direction of the Star Wars universe. He was also instrumental in establishing the company’s animation studio. His credits include series such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian. Filoni currently serves as showrunner for Ahsoka, which is 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, beginning at Industrial Light & Magic, where she rose through the ranks to become its leader in 2009. Following this, Brennan was appointed General Manager of Lucasfilm in 2015 and President and General Manager of Lucasfilm Business in 2024.

Since being named President of Lucasfilm in 2012, Kennedy has expanded franchises such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, with credits including box office hits Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as well as Andor, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka series, and animated shows such as Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Star Wars: Visions. Kennedy is currently producing the feature film The Mandalorian and Grogu and Director Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, set for theatrical release in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Before Lucasfilm, Kennedy was Co-Founder of Amblin Entertainment alongside Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall. In this role, she helped bring to life films including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Schindler’s List, The Sixth Sense, and Lincoln.

“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, Chief Executive of The Walt Disney Company. “We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”

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

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