So she waited until Andor was complete…https://t.co/3vUgjCBMLY
I hope it's not Filoni in charge next. Seriously.— David Macho (@davidmacho) February 25, 2025
Kathleen Kennedy, the legendary movie producer who has led Lucasfilm for 13 years, has informed Disney and her associates that she plans to step down from her role as president by the end of the year. Kennedy, who will turn 72 in June, was handpicked by George Lucas to oversee Lucasfilm under Disney’s ownership. During her tenure, Kennedy managed the Star Wars franchise, experiencing both successes and controversies.
Despite mixed reactions to some recent Star Wars films, her influence in Hollywood remains significant.
????BREAKING????
Kathleen Kennedy to step down from LUCASFILM."After a mixed 13-year run, the legendary movie producer has informed Disney, as well as friends and associates, that she will exit as Lucasfilm president by the end of the year."
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— That Hashtag Show (Official) (@ThatHashtagShow) February 25, 2025
Reports suggest that Kennedy had initially planned to leave last year and had even scheduled an exit interview with a journalist, but ultimately decided to stay for one more year. Neither Disney nor Kennedy’s personal publicist have provided comments on her departure.
Kathleen Kennedy plans to retire by the end of 2025.
No word on who will replace her as the President of Lucasfilm.
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— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 25, 2025
As of now, there is no information on who will succeed Kennedy at Lucasfilm or what her future plans entail. However, her departure signifies the end of a notable era for the renowned production company. Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in 2012 as co-chair alongside the company’s founder, George Lucas.
Kennedy’s notable era at Lucasfilm
She assumed full control a few months later when Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4 billion. Under her leadership, the Star Wars franchise was relaunched with J.J. Abrams’ “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in 2015, which grossed over $2 billion globally and revitalized the series as a blockbuster brand.
From 2015 to 2019, Disney released a Star Wars film annually but took a break after “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” which received mixed reviews and earned considerably less than “The Force Awakens.”
Kennedy’s tenure has been characterized by both triumphs and challenges. She dismissed Chris Lord and Phil Miller as directors of “Solo: A Star Wars Story” during production, a film that ultimately became the first Star Wars movie to lose money at the box office. She also sidelined “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” director Gareth Edwards, bringing in Tony Gilroy to handle reshoots; the film went on to gross $1 billion.
However, other anticipated projects, such as Rian Johnson’s trilogy and a series by “Game of Thrones” showrunners D.B. Benioff and David Weiss, did not come to fruition. Although the Star Wars franchise faced difficulties returning to the big screen, it found new success on Disney+ with “The Mandalorian,” which debuted in November 2019 alongside the streaming service. “The Mandalorian” became a breakout hit, inspiring several spinoffs, although not all were equally successful.
Looking to the future, Lucasfilm intends to release “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” directed by Jon Favreau, on May 22, 2026, marking the franchise’s return to the big screen since “The Rise of Skywalker.”
Throughout her illustrious career, Kennedy has collaborated with Steven Spielberg and her husband Frank Marshall on numerous classics, including “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Color Purple,” “The Goonies,” “Empire of the Sun,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988), the “Back to the Future” trilogy (1985-1990), and the “Indiana Jones” films, concluding with last year’s “Dial of Destiny.” She has produced or executive produced more than 70 films and has been nominated for eight Oscars. The news of her retirement comes ahead of April’s Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, where the future of the franchise is expected to be a major topic of discussion.
