‘Star Wars’ Leadership Transitions for First Time Since 2012 – Is This a Good Thing?

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Every year brings new speculation about Kathleen Kennedy’s future as President of Lucasfilm. George Lucas chose her to lead the company in 2012, just before selling it to Disney. Since then, she’s overseen a new chapter for Star Wars, including the sequel trilogy, standalone films, and the expansion into streaming shows like The Mandalorian and Andor. While there have been successes, there have also been disappointments, and over time, she’s become a frequent target of criticism from some fans.

A recent report claims Kathleen Kennedy will leave her position as president of Lucasfilm in 2026, with Dave Filoni, a popular figure among Star Wars fans, potentially taking on a leadership role. Similar rumors surfaced in February 2025, but Kennedy dismissed them at Star Wars Celebration. Until Disney or Kennedy confirms anything, this remains speculation. However, whenever Kennedy does leave Lucasfilm, it will be a significant moment for the Star Wars franchise, with potential for both positive and negative changes.

Kathleen Kennedy’s Complicated Legacy


Disney

It’s common online to see careers described in very simple terms, without much detail. Kathleen Kennedy’s work is often labeled either a huge triumph or a total failure that damaged Star Wars. However, the reality is far more complex and falls somewhere in between these extremes.

As a movie reviewer, I have to admit, Kathleen Kennedy’s tenure as President of Lucasfilm has been a financial powerhouse. Four out of the five Star Wars films released under her leadership have smashed the billion-dollar mark at the box office – The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi even topped the charts for their respective years. More importantly, she successfully rebooted the franchise, bringing in fresh faces and exciting new worlds that clearly resonated with fans – the uproar over the cancelled The Hunt for Ben Solo story proves that. And the move to streaming? Genius. The Mandalorian became a massive hit, but Andor really stood out – many are calling it one of the best Star Wars stories ever. Honestly, Star Wars is everywhere right now, and there are more ways than ever to jump into the galaxy far, far away.

Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership has faced some significant setbacks. The film Solo marked the first Star Wars movie to underperform at the box office, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also failed to meet expectations for Disney. Beyond the films, several streaming series like The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka didn’t resonate with audiences. This large amount of content arguably diminished the special quality of Star Wars, making it feel more like a standard TV franchise than the epic film series it was intended to be. Kennedy also experienced creative conflicts, leading to extensive reshoots for both Rogue One and Solo, with the latter resulting in the original directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, being replaced by Ron Howard.

Kathleen Kennedy has faced criticism for announcing numerous Star Wars projects that haven’t come to fruition, and that’s understandable. However, it’s important to remember that many of these announcements weren’t her choice. Disney’s previous CEO, Bob Chapek, pushed for a constant flow of news in December 2020, even if projects weren’t fully prepared. It’s also common in the film industry for movies to be developed but never released, or to take a long time to reach theaters. In fact, the fact that these Star Wars films haven’t been rushed suggests Kennedy learned from the issues with the sequel trilogy and is prioritizing quality over meeting arbitrary deadlines.

Kathleen Kennedy’s most significant impact may be how fans perceive her. As one of Hollywood’s most successful producers, she’s been behind iconic films like E.T., Jurassic Park, Twister, The Sixth Sense, and Lincoln, among others. Before leading Lucasfilm, she co-founded Amblin Pictures and helped create hits such as Back to the Future, The Goonies, Gremlins, and Schindler’s List. Both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg deeply trust her abilities, consistently seeking her expertise on important projects. However, despite her impressive track record, many Star Wars fans criticize her time at Lucasfilm, focusing on perceived failures while overlooking the financial and critical successes she’s achieved.

Successes within the Star Wars universe are often credited to people like Tony Gilroy, Jon Favreau, and Dave Filoni, but criticism consistently falls on Kathleen Kennedy. This highlights a narrow perspective within the fanbase. It’s important to remember that Star Wars fans have diverse opinions – some appreciated Kennedy’s willingness to take risks as an executive, while others didn’t. Her time leading Lucasfilm has been a mix of successes and failures, which is typical for anyone with a long career in Hollywood.

Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan Will Take Control… But Are They Qualified?


Lucasfilm

Now that Kathleen Kennedy appears to be leaving Lucasfilm, the question is who will lead it next? Disney is moving away from the single-leader model that worked well at Marvel Studios with Kevin Feige, and instead is looking at the DC Studios approach of having co-presidents. The likely candidates are Dave Filoni, who currently oversees creative efforts, and Lynwen Brennan, who manages the business side of Lucasfilm. Filoni would focus on creative production, much like James Gunn, while Brennan would handle the business operations, similar to Peter Safran.

As a huge Star Wars fan, I’ve always been impressed with Dave Filoni. Many see him as George Lucas’s chosen successor, and it’s clear Kathleen Kennedy has been grooming him to lead Lucasfilm for almost twenty years now. He’s steadily climbed the ranks, becoming Executive Creative Director in 2020 and then Chief Creative Officer in 2023. He really started making his mark with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and then continued building the universe with Star Wars: Rebels – the first animated series of the Disney era. More recently, he’s become a vital partner to Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian. Together, they’ve crafted what fans call ‘The Mandoverse’ – a connected series of shows like The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu. It all seems to be building towards a big, Avengers-style team-up movie, and I, for one, can’t wait!

Dave Filoni excels at expanding the Star Wars universe and connecting its various stories, but his strengths are balanced by some weaknesses. These are particularly apparent in Ahsoka, the series he created, executive produced, and wrote entirely. Still learning the ropes of live-action filmmaking, Ahsoka unfortunately features awkward performances and direction reminiscent of the less dynamic scenes in the Star Wars prequels. Filoni often prioritizes deep lore that appeals to dedicated fans, which can unintentionally exclude those less familiar with the franchise – a strategy that ironically contributed to Star Wars becoming a global success. While Kathleen Kennedy wasn’t necessarily a lifelong Star Wars devotee, she understood what made a good movie and had a knack for simplifying the complex mythology into something accessible to everyone.

Fortunately, Dave Filoni won’t be handling this project by himself. Lynwen Brennan, a veteran Lucasfilm executive with a strong business background, is joining him. She previously led Industrial Light & Magic and, since 2015, has overseen all of Lucasfilm’s divisions. Brennan’s business expertise could balance Filoni’s creative, fan-focused approach. She can help translate Filoni’s vision into content that appeals to Star Wars fans and ensure the stories remain broad enough to attract a wider audience. This seems like a strong partnership that could lead Star Wars into a stable new phase, but it also raises the question of whether playing it safe is the best path forward.

Will Star Wars Lose Its Creative Risk?


Disney+

Despite criticism that Kathleen Kennedy’s time overseeing Star Wars at Disney was overly cautious, she undeniably took significant creative risks. While she didn’t always give fans exactly what they asked for, she often delivered what the franchise needed to stay fresh and engaging. The Last Jedi, though divisive, pushed Star Wars in a new direction and questioned what the series could be, and is still considered a standout film by many. Kennedy also championed bold projects like The Acolyte and took a chance on creators like Lesley Headland, echoing the spirit of George Lucas’s prequels. Now, with Dave Filoni taking the helm, the question is whether he’ll continue that trend and greenlight a more mature, emotionally resonant series like Andor, or focus on fan service and recreating familiar Star Wars experiences. It’s too soon to say.

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Kathleen Kennedy’s time leading Lucasfilm has been quite a journey, encompassing the continuation of the High Republic stories, the launch of the streaming series, and the sequel trilogy. While it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, it was a thrilling period for Star Wars fans. It’s bittersweet to see her stepping down, but her impact on the franchise will be lasting. Future generations who experienced the sequel trilogy or The Mandalorian will grow up with a Star Wars universe shaped by her vision.

It might seem hard to believe now, but people could eventually view Kathleen Kennedy’s time with Star Wars with nostalgia. Just like many initially disliked George Lucas’s prequels, fans now often look back on that era fondly – and the same could happen with Kennedy’s work.

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2026-01-07 02:05