Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Responds to Retirement Reports, Confirms Star Wars Succession Plan

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent reports suggesting her retirement in late 2025. Earlier reports from Puck News claimed she planned to retire at the end of her contract, following a previous consideration in 2024. While Variety dismissed the reports as speculation, The Hollywood Reporter corroborated them.

Kennedy herself has now clarified the situation. According to Deadline, she's collaborating with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan after 13 years at the helm. Dave Filoni, creator of Star Wars Rebels and Lucasfilm's chief creative officer, is reportedly a strong contender for her position. However, Kennedy emphatically stated, “The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring.” She added, "I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies."

While acknowledging Lucasfilm will announce a succession plan in the coming months or year, Kennedy confirmed her continued presence at Lucasfilm, overseeing projects including the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy. She emphasized that her departure is a planned transition, not a forced exit: “I’m not going to be here forever…George [Lucas] asked me 13 years ago to step in, and now I’m looking at who’s going to replace me.” She highlighted the significant growth of Lucasfilm since her arrival, including the expansion into streaming.

Kennedy refuted claims of being pushed out, stating it’s “absolutely not the case” and “could not be further from the truth.” Her tenure has overseen the sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX), and the launch of the successful Star Wars streaming era, encompassing shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte. While acknowledging mixed critical and commercial reception of some projects, her contributions to the franchise remain undeniable.

When directly asked by Deadline if she would step down this year, Kennedy responded that she didn’t know “at this stage,” but confirmed the decision would be “100% my decision.” She declined to comment on Filoni's prospects for the top job.