In what can only be described as a game-changer of an announcement, Kathleen Kennedy is officially stepping down as the president of Lucasfilm.
It's not entirely unexpected; Kennedy's departure has been rumored and discussed for some time now, but it's come a little quicker than most expected, with The Hollywood Reporter revealing that her retirement from the company takes place at the end of this week.
Stepping into her shoes will be two people familiar with the Star Wars franchise - one of whom audiences expected to take over. Dave Filoni will officially step in as the President Lucasfilm, as well as chief creative officer. Lynwen Brennan, who currently serves as the president and GM of Lucasfilm business will handle the business side of things as co-president.
Filoni is a major name in the Star Wars franchise and has been as such for decades now. However, he is responsible for some of its biggest transitions over the past decade as he's credited for overseeing the movie saga's expansion onto television via the Mando-Verse Disney Plus shows. The Mandalorian changed the game for the franchise in 2019, bringing it to the small screen and giving it a purpose after the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga. That led to offshoots The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew - all of which Filoni had at least some kind of involvement in
The Mando-Verse is set to hit the big screen this year as The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives this summer. Although Kennedy will no longer be president of Lucasfilm, she will remain involved with this film in a producer role - along with separate 2027 Star Wars movie Starfighter.
All that being said, don't be expecting Kennedy to return to her role as president at some point down the line. In a new interview with Deadline to discuss her exit, she acknowledged the Bob Iger departure from Disney (after which he eventually returned), saying:
"That is not happening here. I told everybody I would stick around a bit longer than I had intended, but I am so ready to go off and have the chance to make lots of movies. I want to do more movies, and I want the opportunity to get back to a kind of eclectic group of movies the way I used to."
The current and upcoming Star Wars film will remain a part of Kennedy's focus as she goes back to producing, but it's clear that she has plans for the future. She's looking ahead and only reflecting on the positives of her time at the helm of the Star Wars franchise - of which she has no regrets. Well, maybe Solo: A Star Wars Story, acknowledging that it was too soon to make that movie and that they probably put Alden Ehrenreich in an "impossible situation".
Regardless of what the future of the Star Wars franchise looks like, it's fair to say that this is the end of an era. Kennedy has been a significant part of the legendary franchise's history, leading the charge for almost 15 years. To say that it will be a tough spot to fill would be an understatement, but we wish Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan the very best of luck as they pick up the lightsabers.