Lucasfilm has announced a major leadership transition that will reshape the future of Star Wars across all platforms, including the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lands at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland.
After nearly 14 years as president of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from her role and transitioning back to full-time producing. The Walt Disney Studios announced the change today, with Kennedy's departure effective this week.
New Leadership Takes Over
Dave Filoni, the longtime George Lucas protégé and current EVP and chief creative officer, has been promoted to president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm. He'll oversee all creative direction for the company.
Lynwen Brennan will serve as co-president of Lucasfilm, handling business operations and strategic vision.
Both will report to Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment.
"My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas," said Filoni. "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."
Brennan added: "Lucasfilm has played such a meaningful part in my life. It's a community of inspiring storytellers with a rebel spirit like no other, and I am honored to join Dave Filoni in leading us forward. I have been so fortunate to learn from George Lucas, Kathy Kennedy, and Alan Bergman and have unwavering faith in Dave's creative vision for the next chapter in this storied studio's legacy."
Kennedy's Legacy and Future Projects
Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in 2012 when Disney acquired the company for $4 billion. George Lucas personally selected her to lead the studio upon his retirement.
"When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn't have imagined what lay ahead," said Kennedy. "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."
During her tenure, she oversaw the launch of the new Star Wars trilogy, with The Force Awakens becoming the top-grossing movie of all time at the domestic box office with $936.6 million. She also guided the creation of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide and led to the Emmy-winning Andor series.
Kennedy led Lucasfilm's expansion into live-action Star Wars series, including three seasons of The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka, alongside animated shows like The Bad Batch and Star Wars: Visions.
She'll continue as a producer on the upcoming films The Mandalorian and Grogu, arriving May 22, 2025, and Star Wars: Starfighter, set for 2027. Kennedy will pursue new collaborations across genres and platforms as an independent producer.
Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, praised Kennedy's contributions: "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. We're deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy's leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand."
Alan Bergman added: "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. 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."
Major Changes Coming to Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge
The leadership announcement comes as Disney prepares to significantly expand Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland starting April 29, 2026.
For the first time, the land will feature characters and stories from multiple Star Wars eras beyond the current Age of the Resistance setting. You'll see Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo walking through Black Spire Outpost alongside existing characters like Ahsoka Tano, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Rey.
The expansion will include:
- New character encounters from the Galactic Civil War and New Republic periods
- John Williams' scores from the first six Star Wars films playing throughout the land
- Updated shops reflecting the expanded timeline
- New props and graphics across Black Spire Outpost
Darth Vader will arrive searching for Luke Skywalker with Imperial Stormtroopers. Luke will explore the outpost looking for information about the Force and kyber crystals. Leia will appear near the Millennium Falcon recruiting help, while Han Solo will spend time around his ship.
What About Disney's Hollywood Studios?
Disney has not announced any changes to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The Florida version opened in 2019 with a nearly identical layout to Disneyland's land, featuring Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
The timeline expansion could potentially come to the Hollywood Studios version in the future, but no plans have been revealed.
What This Means for Disney Parks
Filoni joined Lucasfilm in 2005 and has played a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction of the Star Wars universe. Working closely with George Lucas, he established the company's animation studio and created acclaimed series like The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian, earning multiple Emmy Awards and nominations.
His promotion to president arrives as Disney expands Galaxy's Edge with characters from across the Star Wars timeline at Disneyland. His deep knowledge of the franchise and storytelling experience could influence future theme park developments.
Brennan has been with Lucasfilm since 1999, beginning at Industrial Light & Magic where she rose to become its leader in 2009. She was appointed general manager of Lucasfilm in 2015 and president and general manager of Lucasfilm business in 2024.
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