Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent reports suggesting her retirement in late 2025. Earlier this week, Puck News reported Kennedy planned to retire at the end of her contract, citing previous consideration of retirement in 2024. While Variety dismissed the story as speculation, The Hollywood Reporter corroborated the report.
Kennedy has now clarified her position. 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 role. However, Kennedy emphatically stated, “The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies.”
While acknowledging Lucasfilm intends to announce a successor in the coming months or year, Kennedy confirmed her continued involvement at Lucasfilm, including producing the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy. She emphasized that while she won't remain president forever, the decision to step down will be entirely hers. She also refuted suggestions of being pushed out, stating this was "absolutely not the case."
Kennedy's tenure has overseen the sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX), the launch of the Star Wars streaming era (including The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte), and blockbuster successes like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, alongside projects that have received mixed reactions or underperformed financially, such as Solo: A Star Wars Story.
When directly asked by Deadline if she'll step down this year, Kennedy responded that she doesn't know "at this stage," reiterating that the decision will be hers alone. She declined to comment on Filoni's potential appointment.
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