In a move that’s been expected and hinted at for quite a while, Lucasfilm today announced that long-time President Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down, as she is returning to producing films full-time. Dave Filoni has been named the new President of Lucasfilm, leading the studio alongside Lynwen Brennan, who was promoted to Co-President.
Filoni has a long history with Lucasfilm. He joined the company in 2005 to develop The Clone Wars animated TV series with George Lucas, where his close working relationship and friendship with Lucas was formed. Filoni continued to oversee Lucasfilm animation as the showrunner of Rebels, alongside other projects, and he made the jump to live-action with The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. In recent years, Filoni has served as the Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm, with Kennedy saying she’s consulted him on every project.
It is no surprise that Filoni is Disney’s pick to lead the studio forward, given his extensive track record with the franchise, but it will not come without challenges. For one, Kennedy had a desire to push the franchise forward in some bold new ways, whereas Filoni’s more recent work has been a return to some of the safer Star Wars stories of old. There are merits to both approaches, but as company President, Filoni will need to ensure the direction of the franchise can continue to advance and not simply rely on nostalgia.
Another challenge, though, is that Filoni’s work has primarily been a storyteller and not a studio head. It would be shocking if Disney wants Filoni to abandon his creative storytelling efforts, which is why it has always been assumed he would be paired with someone else to aid in the administrative aspects of the role. For this, it is not surprising that Lynwen Brennan is taking over as Co-President. She has been with Lucasfilm since 1999, starting with Industrial Light & Magic – eventually coming to lead that company in 2009. In 2015, she took over as General Manager at Lucasfilm, and in 2024 became President & General Manager of Lucasfilm Business. Her visual effects and studio background gives her an understanding of filmmaking, while her work as General Manager means she is familiar with all aspects of the administration of a major studio. Together, the pairing should be able to navigate the tricky world of Hollywood.
Though expected, this marks the end of 14 years leading Lucasfilm for Kathy Kennedy, who was George Lucas’s hand-picked successor in 2012. She is one of the most established, successful, and respected producers in movie history, and it was her leadership that led Lucasfilm through some of its most significant – and turbulent – years. Under her leadership, Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney, launched the continuation of the Skywalker saga, released the first ever non-saga Star Wars film, made the jump to streaming, and more. Though her tenure wasn’t without faults, there are few in the business who could have navigated these changes for the industry’s premiere brand as capably.
She will return to producing movies full-time, which will include Star Wars films like The Mandalorian & Grogu and Starfighter – so she isn’t leaving the galaxy far, far away quite yet. But this will allow her to produce other films as well, continuing a nearly 50-year career as one of the most successful producers in the business.
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