Legendary producer Kathleen Kennedy announced today that she is stepping down as the head of Lucasfilm and passing the reins to Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. The news comes after a year of speculation about Kennedy’s future in a galaxy far, far away.
“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,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a press release. “We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”
With Kennedy stepping down from Lucasfilm to focus on more general film production, her previous duties will now be split between the two Lucasfilm mainstays. Filoni, as President and Chief Creative Officer, will handle the more creative side, while Brennan, the longtime head of business at the company, will handle logistics. Her title is Co-President. Think of it sort of like things are being handled at DC Studios, with James Gunn handling creative and Peter Safran handling the more day-to-day things.
“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” Kennedy said. “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 got her start as an assistant to Steven Spielberg and quickly established herself as a formidable creative force. Over the last 50 years or so, she produced many of the best and top-grossing films of all time, such as Gremlins, The Goonies, Poltergeist, Back to the Future, E.T., and the Indiana Jones series.
Lucasfilm founder and Star Wars creator George Lucas thought so highly of Kennedy that he hand-picked her to run Lucasfilm as he sold it to the Walt Disney Company in 2013. Since then, she’s been responsible for the successful relaunch of the franchise, both on the big screen and its new renaissance on streaming, too.
And though Kennedy will remain on board for a bit, overseeing The Mandalorian & Grogu, Star Wars: Starfighter, and more, all eyes now move to Filoni. Also a disciple of Lucas himself, Filoni made a name for himself with fresh, exciting storytelling in Star Wars animation before making the shift to live action. His success there hasn’t been quite as impressive, with many feeling he’s a bit too reliant on past stories and nostalgia rather than bold, forward choices. But few people on the planet know or understand Star Wars as he does.
“My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas,” Filoni said. “I never dreamed I would be privileged to learn the craft of filmmaking from both of them. From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling onscreen that we have ever seen. 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.”
Filoni is currently working on the second season of his show, Ahsoka, so don’t expect him to fully make the pivot for a while. Once he does, though, the movies and shows he puts into production will say a lot about how he views the future of Star Wars. There are certainly plenty of options on the table.
What do you think of Kennedy stepping down and putting in Filoni and Brennan? Let us know below.
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