Kathleen Kennedy will step down as president of Lucasfilm after a remarkable 14-year tenure, during which she played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Star Wars franchise. His not-so-secret weapon, the man behind the original Star Wars, George Lucas, had hired Kennedy to run the company. Since, she’s managed the release of five of those feature films which grossed over $5 billion in cumulative gross worldwide. Though retiring from her executive position, she will move to a full-time career as a producer at the studio.
Under Kennedy’s leadership, Lucasfilm experienced an unprecedented renaissance. The sequel trilogy’s launch, including history-making films such as The Force Awakens, was instrumental to this boom. Despite some successes, her tenure was not without challenges. She oversaw the franchise’s first box office flop, Solo: A Star Wars Story. Kennedy’s impact has been nothing short of seismic. She’s brought more women and POC into lead roles and the Star Wars galaxy as a whole.
Kennedy has led Lucasfilm since 2012 and has been credited for facilitating what many see as the “greatest expansion” in Star Wars storytelling. She was instrumental in creating hit Disney+ shows, including The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Her influence on the widely praised Andor, meanwhile, confirmed the franchise’s foothold in cutting-edge creativity.
In her new role as a producer, Kennedy will continue to work on major upcoming projects, including The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter. She identified specific areas of enthusiasm for positive, cooperative works ahead.
“It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm.” – Kathleen Kennedy
More than just a loss of creative leadership, Kennedy’s exit from the presidency represents an immense shift for Lucasfilm itself. She will have a seat at the top executive table, next to co-president Lynwen Brennan. At the same time, Dave Filoni is assuming the position of president and chief creative officer.
Kennedy expressed her excitement about continuing to develop films and television with both longtime collaborators and new voices who represent the future of storytelling.
“I’m excited to continue developing films and television with both longtime collaborators and fresh voices who represent the future of storytelling.” – Kathleen Kennedy