In a move that still is more surprising than it should be, Kathleen Kennedy appears to be finally leaving her position as president of Lucasfilm. In a report that broke Monday night, Kennedy is said to be communicating with friends and colleagues that she will depart the Disney division by the end of 2025. In her position, Kennedy has been the custodian of “Star Wars” for the past 12 years.
According to Puck, Kennedy planned on departing in 2024, even setting up an exit interview, before changing her mind. She has been at Lucasfilm since 2012, when she initially became co-chair of Lucasfilm, Ltd. alongside company founder George Lucas. When the Walt Disney Company formerly acquired Lucasfilm in October 2012, Kennedy was promoted to president, and she has been in charge of the valuable franchise ever since.
Under Kennedy’s leadership, “Star Wars” has had mixed success theatrically, with “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “Star Wars: Rogue One,” and “Star Wars Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi” each earning $1 billion in theaters worldwide. 2015’s “Star Wars: Ep. VII: The Force Awakens” earned a staggering $2 billion. But 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” was a box office disappointment, taking in just $393 million globally. Moreover, it has been six years since the last “Star Wars” movie hit theaters. Even considering the pandemic and the 2023 strikes, it has been unacceptable to most industry observers.
The next “Star Wars” movie to hit the big screen will be a little over a year from now when “The Mandalorian & Guru,” a spin-off of the popular Disney+ series, arrives in theaters. Streaming has been where Kennedy’s tenure has been the most impactful. It’s hard to argue series such as three seasons of the Emmy-winning “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” didn’t help grow the Disney streamer into a global powerhouse. The latter two earned mixed reviews but big streaming numbers via third-party services.
Over the last two years, Lucasfilm has had less success on Disney+, with “Ashoka,” “The Acolyte,” and “Skeleton Crew” having varying degrees of success. Currently, “Ashoka” is the only one of the three programs where a second season is still in development. “The Acolyte” was officially canceled, and “Skeleton Crew” is in limbo despite positive reviews and, seemingly, a legitimate streaming audience.
The first season of “Andor,” which debuted in 2022, has been a rare jewel for Lucasfilm. A mainstay on many year-end critics lists, the “Rogue One” prequel is the only “Star Wars” property to win a Peabody Award and earned eight Emmy nominations, including Drama Series. The second and final season will arrive in April.
Under Kennedy’s reign, other theatrical releases from Lucasfilm include James Mangold’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which earned $375 million in 2023. Unfortunately, that was nowhere near recouping its massive $295 million production budget.
After departing Lucasfilm, Kennedy is expected to return to producing alongside her husband, Frank Marshall. Before taking over at Lucasfilm, Kennedy racked up a prolific run of now classic films, many directed by her friend Steven Spielberg. Kennedy has eight Best Picture nominations as a producer for “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Color Purple,” “War Horse,” “Munich,” “Lincoln,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Sixth Sense,” and “Seabiscuit.” She actually holds the record for the most nominations without a win.
Other films Kennedy has produced or executive produced include the “Back to the Future” franchise, “Schindler’s List,” “Jurassic Park,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “Twister,” “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” “Cape Fear,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” and “Signs,” among others. Considering her prolific resume, it’s always been head-scratching why so many “Star Wars” movies in development have stalled under her tutelage.
Kennedy’s departure will occur a few months before Bob Iger is expected to name a successor as CEO of The Walt Disney Company in early 2026. Who will replace Kennedy remains to be seen. Still, speculations will be focused on Jon Favreau, the creator of “The Mandalorian,” and Dave Filoni, who has been behind “Star Wars” projects such as the animated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels,” as well as the aforementioned streaming series.
Iger and Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, could also look for a new voice to shepherd the division. Their pick of former Searchlight Pictures co-head David Greenbaum to take over Walt Disney Pictures and 20th Century Studios was unexpected and considered an inspired choice by many in the business. Those expecting Favreau or Filoni to take the reins immediately may be in for a surprise.
