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 in Puck News indicated she was planning to retire at the end of her contract, citing previous consideration of retirement in 2024. While Variety dismissed the reports as speculation, The Hollywood Reporter corroborated them.

Kennedy herself has now responded, clarifying her intentions. According to Deadline, she’s collaborating with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan after thirteen 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, including overseeing production of 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 removal. "I’m not going to be here forever," she explained, highlighting the growth of Lucasfilm since she joined, encompassing the expansion into streaming and other ventures not present thirteen years ago. She denied being pushed out, stating that this was "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 some projects, such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, were box office successes, others have faced criticism, and some, like Solo: A Star Wars Story, were financially unsuccessful.

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.