Kathleen Kennedy is on her way out at Lucasfilm and Dave Filoni could take the top spot if a major Hollywood news source is to be believed. This song and dance has been sung by the media many…many times before, but this time there appears to be some validity to the rumor.
According to Puck’s Matthew Belloni, Disney is preparing to officially confirm that Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm, with Dave Filoni elevated into the top creative role and Lynwen Brennan installed as the business-side counterweight.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm attends the launch event for Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars series The Acolyte at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
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Belloni writes:
“In the next week or two, Disney will finally confirm what we’ve all known for months: Kathleen Kennedy is indeed stepping down as Lucasfilm president, and Dave Filoni, currently the chief creative officer of the Star Wars unit, will be elevated into the top job… Filoni has never really been a traditional executive, so they’re giving him a partner in Lynwen Brennan… but he’ll be the decider on the creative direction of the franchise in film, television, and any other platforms in the galaxy.”
— Matthew Belloni, Puck
On paper, it looks like a major changing of the guard. In practice, the reality is far more complicated.
Kennedy Isn’t Leaving Hollywood—And She’s Made That Very Clear
One crucial detail is already being glossed over: Kennedy has never claimed she’s walking away from Lucasfilm entirely, only that she’s stepping down from the presidency.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Kathleen Kennedy onstage during the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images for Disney)
When similar rumors swirled last year (again from Belloni), Kennedy pushed back forcefully in an interview with Deadline.
“The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring,” Kennedy said defiantly in a rare interview on the subject. “I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies.”
That statement matters. A producer role—especially for someone with Kennedy’s institutional power and relationships—still carries significant influence. Stepping aside from the title doesn’t automatically mean stepping away from creative sway.
In other words, this may be less of a clean exit and more of a reshuffling.
Filoni’s Reputation Has Changed—and Not Quietly
There was a time when Filoni was widely hailed as the creative heir to George Lucas. For many fans, The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the first two seasons of The Mandalorian positioned him as the steward who “got” Star Wars.
That perception has shifted.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: (L-R) Leslye Headland, Dave Filoni, Chief Creative Officer, Lucasfilm and Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm attend the launch event for Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars series The Acolyte at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
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Filoni’s vocal defense and advocacy of The Acolyte—a series that faced intense audience backlash—and the negative reception of Ahsoka and season 3 of The Mandalorian have dulled that once-unassailable reputation.
While Andor was created under his tenure as chief creative officer, rumors swirled that showrunner Tony Gilroy was given full creative control, sidestepping Filoni’s oversight entirely to work one-on-one with Kennedy.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 08: Dave Filoni attends the Ahsoka panel at Start Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 08, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
While some still view Filoni as a stabilizing force, others now question whether he represents meaningful change or simply continuity with the current creative direction.
That context matters when evaluating Disney’s decision to place Filoni at the top of the creative hierarchy.
The Trades vs. Belloni: A Familiar Pattern
Belloni first floated the idea of Kennedy’s imminent exit in February of last year—and the entertainment trade press moved quickly to shut it down.
Kennedy’s defiant Deadline interview was widely framed as definitive proof that the rumors were false. At the forefront of that pushback was Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr., who repeatedly attacked Belloni’s reporting.
(L-R): Dave Filoni and Rosario Dawson on the set of Lucasfilm’s STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Belloni, for his part, didn’t retreat. He mocked Fleming’s tone and later described the Kennedy interview as “hilariously sycophantic,” illustrating the increasingly visible divide between independent industry reporting and access-driven trade coverage.
Now, with Disney reportedly preparing to confirm the move, Belloni’s reporting may be proven true.
Why Lynwen Brennan Changes the Equation
One of the most notable developments in Belloni’s report is the inclusion of Brennan.
Just last year, The Hollywood Reporter had indicated Filoni would share leadership duties with Carrie Beck. That plan appears to have been scrapped.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: (L-R) Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Leslye Headland and Asad Ayaz, Chief Brand Officer, The Walt Disney Company and President, Marketing, The Walt Disney Studios and Disney attend the launch event for Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars series The Acolyte at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
Instead, Disney is adopting a Walt-and-Roy-style structure:
- Filoni as the creative figurehead
- Brennan as the operational and financial authority
It’s a clear acknowledgment that Filoni is not a traditional executive—and that Lucasfilm’s problems extend beyond creative vision into management and business discipline. Budgets have exploded under the Kennedy regime, with The Acolyte reportedly costing more than $300 million and The Rise of Skywalker carrying a whopping $600 million pricetag.
A Transition, Not a Reset
The biggest takeaway from the “Kennedy Filoni” transition is this: Lucasfilm is changing leadership structure, not necessarily philosophy.
Kennedy may be stepping down, but she isn’t disappearing. Filoni is being elevated, but he isn’t being handed unchecked control. Brennan’s involvement signals caution, not revolution.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: (L-R) Daisy Ridley, Kathleen Kennedy and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attend the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
For fans hoping this marks a hard reset for Star Wars, the reality may prove far more incremental—and far more controlled—than the headlines suggest.
Disney isn’t blowing up Lucasfilm. It’s rearranging the board. And that distinction may end up mattering more than any title change.
Do you believe Kennedy is stepping down in favor of Filoni? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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I cannot get passed what Disney under Kennedy’s leadership did to Star Wars. It is over. They never asked for forgiveness, therefore I do not plan on forgiving them.
Should we use Sad Trombone or Price is Right fail horns as a sound effect?
This “news” is irellevant now, as she has already ruined everything she has been the boss of.
She has been rumored gone so many times now it borders conspiracy theories.
But like i said, she no longer matters as the damage she has done is irreparable..
One can’t help but reflect on how every production where she was a coffee fetcher and note taker, are classics, while everything she has done as a boss, has failed spectacularly, maybe it is time for some introspection of ones self inflated abilities?
It takes a special kind of talent to ruin what was essentially a license to print money!
She coulda been a contenda. Once she got out on her, own away from Lucas and Spielberg, she had a 15 years with a decent track record with one or two bangers before her judgment and quality bar dropped off a cliff after the LucasFilm/Disney deal.
So she had 15 years of coffee and riding the coat tails of Lucas and Spielberg, then 15 years of meh to pretty good, now she’s in her 15 years of Ok to poo.
I have a feeling insisting on her being president after the Disney acquisition was key because she’d pretty much proven she was pretty much mid. They figured they she had no creative spark so it would be safe to give Star Wars to her, a known quantity, rather than risk whoever Disney picked. They thought she’d keep things chugging along, I doubt Lucas + company ever thought she’d go and start making monumentally stupid choices right out of the gate, like nuking the entire Star Wars Expanded Universe.
I don’t know why she wasn’t fired or “promoted” to a position where she couldn’t do damage after that move.
She wasn’t fired because she is very good with the money aspect of production, however, she got too involved in the creative process, she got power hungry and wanted to control everything without the skills to do it, so she fired everyone that didn’t conform to her “vision”, surrounded herself with yes men like any good dictator does and thus ruined not 1, but 2 very lucrative franchises as well as a score of other projects, but she made Disney money at the begining, and that is ALL that matters in that world, nothing else..
Why do you think Kennedy went through SO many writers on every project?
And Disney continues to ruin franchises, Alien, Predator and everything else under Iger’s purview they have aquisitioned is more or less a dumpster fire because they have fired ALL the creative people that did not want to be told what and how to write, and this way of movie producing has spread to every other studio where bankers control every aspect and everyone is a contractor.
That and the forced DEI production code which is an abomination and stifles any creativity as everything needs to conform to a checklist!
This is why nothing is worth watching today..
Good point. The “Checklist” DEI casting at Disney, not only the actors but directors and writers based on prestige and name recognition rather than talent, does seem to coincide with the Kathy “The Force is Female” Kennedy kicking off The Force Awakens. It was there before, but not nearly as in your face.
“Look, the main role is a black guy, oops, it’s a woman. That’s just as good. CHECK!”
“Look at how much better the girl is than Luke, in skill, power, and temperament even though she just found out she has the force!”
“Look at how these women in leadership roles take decisive action and dismiss worthless contributions from male characters when they mansplain by pointing out obvious flaws in plans.”
Instead of nobody, a bum. Which is what she is.
To late.
That damage is already done.
Too little too late.
After she destroyed 25 years of Star Wars lore by nuking the Expanded Universe right out of the gate she should have been fired, or if the contract said they couldn’t fire her, promoted to a position where she couldn’t do any damage.
I just wish she’d go away but the fanfare of people blowing smoke and mouthing meaningless platitudes from her “peers” will be like a party that never ends. The messages from the industry will be so over the top you’ll think she died; and it is bad for to speak ill of the dead.
Blech.
100% My mom is 71, my mother in law 70…The person who has been in control of the Star Wars Universe is a 72 year old woman who didn’t love the Original Trilogy when released and never read the books or comics. And she is a leftist ideologue. No wonder she killed it and has produced awful content.
I’m just imagining my mom and MIL making creative decisions about Star Wars. It is laughable.
The Star Wars Expanded Universe is still the canon. “Discanon” is not canon.
I don’t think it will bring any noticeable changes.
Groundhog Day
[…] “In the next week or two, Disney will finally confirm what we’ve all known for months: Kathleen Kennedy is indeed stepping down as Lucasfilm president, and Dave Filoni, currently the chief creative officer of the Star Wars unit, will be elevated into the top job,” reports the far-left Puck. […]
Woke, feminist moron who destroyed Star Wars was replaced with another woke, feminist idiot who will hit the final nail in the Star Wars coffin.