To the surprise of no one, a few popular names have been linked to replacing Kathleen Kennedy as the president of Lucasfilm.
After Disney acquired Lucasfilm from George Lucas in 2012, Kennedy became the president of the film studio. She oversaw the Star Wars sequel trilogy from 2015 to 2019, which became incredibly divisive for fans, with half frustrated by Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi, and the other half upset by The Rise of Skywalker backtracking the bold direction.
Regardless, it has not been since 1983 that most Star Wars fans were fully satisfied with a film trilogy.
Kathleen Kennedy Set To Leave Lucasfilm
First reported by Puck's Matt Belloni, it seems long-time Hollywood producer Kathleen Kennedy will be retiring from the position at the end of 2025.
More specifically, sources told Belloni "she will exit as Lucasfilm president by the end of the year:"
"After years of speculation, and polite urging from observers like me, Kathleen Kennedy has informed Disney, as well as friends and associates, that she will exit as Lucasfilm president by the end of the year."
This was followed by a wave of corroborating reports, stemming from fellow anonymous sources, all pointing to the same result: Kathleen Kennedy is hanging up her lightsaber.
For some, this may be the cause of celebration, akin to the Ewoks after the Battle of Endor. However, Kennedy at the time of her hiring was not a controversial selection (previously made fun of on South Park), having been one of the most successful producers of the past 40 years.
She produced some of the most iconic films in Hollywood history, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and the Back To The Future trilogy, which all revolutionized visual effects and storytelling in their respective eras.
With the 71-year-old veteran now stepping away from a galaxy far, far away, there are several hot candidates poised to take over her position.
Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau Lead Lucasfilm Replacement Search (Rumor)
Rumors are hitting the internet at lightspeed relating to successors to Kathleen Kennedy at Lucasfilm. Most prominently Star Wars film and TV creatives Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni have come up several times as potential candidates.
DiscussingFilm's Andrew Salazar mentioned on X that Kennedy's "replacement(s) are exactly who you think they are going to be," while World of Reel reported that Favreau and Filoni will likely be the next presidents.
In a recent article from The Hollywood Reporter, several possible replacements were speculated, but Favreau and Filoni were the most prominent.
Notably, the outlet reported that Star Wars could take a page out of DC Studios' playbook, pairing Favreau or Filoni with an experienced studio executive, similar to how James Gunn and Peter Safran run the new DCU (which is facing its own problems).
Either of the duo are obvious options based on their track record.
Favreau played a key role in launching The Mandalorian in 2018, revitalizing Star Wars on TV, and is now directing The Mandalorian & Grogu, the first Star Wars film since 2019. Filoni, mentored by George Lucas, has been a central force behind The Clone Wars, Ahsoka, and The Mandalorian.
However, even given their importance to the current state of Star Wars, the president of Lucasfilm may not be what's best for them or the company.
The Hollywood Reporter mentioned several other eye-catching names, including Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and J.J. Abrams (director of The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker).
In addition, Emma Watts, formerly of Paramount, is looking to return to an executive role (for the first time since 2021), while Hannah Minghella, a seasoned Sony and Bad Robot alum, is a potential candidate but is currently tied to a Netflix contract.
Interestingly, the outlet noted that Rayne Roberts, who was with Lucasfilm for more than a decade, was likely going to be Kennedy's replacement before he took the job of senior VP of production at Searchlight.
There is a possibility this successor saga (which just began) could last for much of 2025, but there is an equal chance that this year's Star Wars Celebration in Japan could be the perfect time to announce a new leader. If that is the case, an in-house promotion like Filoni or Favreau (or both) would make the most sense.
For the next Star Wars story, Andor Season 2 begins streaming on Disney+ on April 22.
