Kathleen Kennedy to step down as 'Star Wars' studio Lucasfilm boss, Dave Filoni to take over

Kathleen Kennedy will be retiring this week as president of Lucasfilm, the studio behind the Star Wars franchise. Walt Disney confirmed on Thursday that Dave Filoni, a protégé of Star Wars creator George Lucas and co-creator of the hit streaming TV series The Mandalorian, will succeed her.

Kennedy, 72, will remain with the studio as a full-time producer on upcoming projects, including The Mandalorian & Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, Walt Disney confirmed.

Who is Dave Filoni, new Star Wars head

Disney has named Dave Filoni, 51, as the new president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm. He will be working alongside co-president Lynwen Brennan, who runs the studio's business operations.

Filoni will now head one of the highest-grossing movie franchises in history as well as live-action and animated TV shows.

Kathleen Kennedy on Lucasfilm

Meanwhile, Kennedy's association with the studio dates back to the time when Disney bought it in 2012. She oversaw three blockbuster sequels to the original Star Wars trilogy and the successful spinoff Rogue One.

"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," Kennedy said in a statement.

“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, CEO 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.”

“Kathleen Kennedy has been a tremendous force in the industry for 50 years, and it’s been our privilege to have her here at Disney leading Lucasfilm for nearly 14 of them,” added Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman. “She has steered ‘Star Wars’ to incredible box office heights and brought a new generation of fans into the fold. We appreciate having her on board to produce our next couple of films, and the studio remains in extraordinarily capable hands with Dave Filoni, who’s a brilliant storyteller, and Lynwen Brennan, an avid innovator and business leader. They are deeply passionate and experienced executives who will continue to drive the studio and ‘Star Wars’ forward in exciting new directions."

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

Both Filoni and Kennedy previously worked closely with George Lucas, the creator of the original Star Wars films that began in 1977. The franchise follows rebels fighting in a faraway galaxy, earning over $10.3 billion worldwide at the box office, reported Reuters, citing Comscore.

It is believed that Lucas personally chose Kennedy to succeed him as the head of Lucasfilm. During her tenure, the five Star Wars films she oversaw collected a combined $5.9 billion globally. The biggest hit was Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which crossed $2 billion in worldwide ticket sales, as per the news agency.

Under Kennedy’s leadership, Lucasfilm expanded into live-action streaming series, starting with Filoni’s The Mandalorian. Other shows were Ahsoka and Andor. The company also launched Star Wars-themed attractions at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida.

In 2005, Filoni joined Lucasfilm after being hired by Lucas to develop a Star Wars animation studio. He co-created the animated series The Clone Wars and became a popular name at fan events, widely known for wearing his cowboy hat.

The Mandalorian is all set to make its theatrical debut with The Mandalorian and Grogu, a film co-written by Filoni. It is scheduled for release in May. Another film, Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, is planned for a May 2027 release. Kennedy will remain involved as a producer on both projects.

Previously, Daisy Ridley confirmed her return for a new Star Wars film.

(With inputs from Reuters)