The Walt Disney Studios Announces Lucasfilm Leadership Transition

The Walt Disney Studios Announces Lucasfilm Leadership Transition

Kathleen Kennedy to Step Down as Lucasfilm President and Return to Full-Time Producing

Dave Filoni to Lead Lucasfilm as President and Chief Creative Officer Alongside Lynwen Brennan as Co-President

The Walt Disney Studios announced today that, after nearly 14 years of leading Lucasfilm, President Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from her role and will transition back to full-time producing, including the studio's upcoming feature films The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter. Going forward, Dave Filoni will take on creative leadership of Lucasfilm as President and Chief Creative Officer, Lucasfilm, and Lynwen Brennan will serve as Co-President, Lucasfilm, with each having held senior executive roles at the studio for more than 15 years. The two will report to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman, and their close collaboration will carry Lucasfilm into its next chapter of storytelling, with a strong foundation of creative vision and operational leadership guiding the studio forward.

"When we acquired Lucasfilm more than a decade ago, we knew we were bringing into the Disney family not only one of the most beloved and enduring storytelling universes ever created, but also a team of extraordinary talent led by a visionary filmmaker - someone who had been handpicked by George Lucas himself, no less," said Bob Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. "We're deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy's leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand."

"Kathleen Kennedy has been a tremendous force in the industry for 50 years, and it's been our privilege to have her here at Disney leading Lucasfilm for nearly 14 of them," said Bergman. "She has steered Star Wars to incredible box office heights and brought a new generation of fans into the fold. We appreciate having her on board to produce our next couple of films, and the studio remains in extraordinarily capable hands with Dave Filoni, who's a brilliant storyteller, and Lynwen Brennan, an avid innovator and business leader. They are deeply passionate and experienced executives who will continue to drive the studio and Star Wars forward in exciting new directions."

"When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn't have imagined what lay ahead," said Kennedy. "It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm. Their creativity and dedication have been an inspiration, and I'm deeply proud of what we've accomplished together. I'm excited to continue developing films and television with both longtime collaborators and fresh voices who represent the future of storytelling."

"My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas," said Filoni. "I never dreamed I would be privileged to learn the craft of filmmaking from both of them. From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling onscreen that we have ever seen. I am incredibly grateful to Kathy, George, Bob Iger, and Alan Bergman for their trust and the opportunity to lead Lucasfilm in this new role, doing a job I truly love. May the Force be with you."

"Lucasfilm has played such a meaningful part in my life," said Brennan. "It's a community of inspiring storytellers with a rebel spirit like no other, and I am honored to join Dave Filoni in leading us forward. I have been so fortunate to learn from George Lucas, Kathy Kennedy, and Alan Bergman and have unwavering faith in Dave's creative vision for the next chapter in this storied studio's legacy."

Filoni joined Lucasfilm in 2005 and has played a pivotal role in shaping the creative direction of the Star Wars universe. Working closely with George Lucas, Filoni was instrumental in establishing the company's animation studio and has since expanded the franchise into new and compelling territory. His storytelling contributions span acclaimed series such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Mandalorian, earning multiple Emmy Awards and nominations. Filoni currently serves as showrunner for Ahsoka, now in production for its second season, and is teaming with Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Brennan has been with Lucasfilm since 1999, beginning at Industrial Light & Magic where she rose through the ranks to become its leader in 2009. She was appointed General Manager of Lucasfilm in 2015 and President & General Manager of Lucasfilm Business in 2024. During her tenure, she has guided the company through transformative technological shifts with a clear strategic vision and a commitment to innovation, and her industry leadership has been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Visual Effects Society and the honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

Since being named head of Lucasfilm in 2012, Kennedy has guided a new era of storytelling, expanding Star Wars and Indiana Jones while championing bold creative directions and exciting new voices. She oversaw the record-shattering release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first in a new trilogy of billion-dollar Skywalker Saga films, as well as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which also grossed over $1 billion worldwide and led to the creation of the Emmy-winning Andor series. She also led Lucasfilm's foray into live-action Star Wars series, including three seasons of The Mandalorian as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka, and others, alongside popular animated shows such as Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Star Wars: Visions. Kennedy is currently producing the feature film The Mandalorian and Grogu and director Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter, set for theatrical release in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

As Kennedy transitions back to producing, broadening her portfolio with new collaborations across genres and platforms, she builds on a remarkable 50-year career as one of the most accomplished producers in film history. As co-founder of Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, she helped bring to life iconic films including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Schindler's List, The Sixth Sense, and Lincoln. Her 70+ films have earned 25 Academy Awards® among more than 120 nominations, along with billions at the global box office. She was honored with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' coveted Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 2018 and the Producers Guild of America's Milestone Award in 2022.