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Kathleen Kennedy Steps Down at Lucasfilm as Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan Take the Helm

The move formalizes a creative–business split to refocus the Star Wars pipeline.

Overview

  • Effective this week, Dave Filoni becomes President and Chief Creative Officer and Lynwen Brennan becomes Co‑President, with both reporting to Disney Entertainment Co‑Chairman Alan Bergman.
  • Kennedy departs the presidency after nearly 14 years and transitions to full‑time producing, remaining attached to The Mandalorian & Grogu on May 22, 2026, and Shawn Levy’s Starfighter in 2027.
  • Filoni, a George Lucas protégé who led The Clone Wars and helped launch The Mandalorian, will guide Lucasfilm’s overall creative strategy across film and television.
  • Brennan, a longtime ILM and Lucasfilm business leader, will run operations including ILM, Skywalker Sound, and franchise groups spanning marketing, games, publishing, and consumer products.
  • The leadership change follows a slow theatrical stretch, and industry watchers expect development to accelerate with the first Star Wars feature since 2019 set to hit theaters in May.