Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy Responds to Retirement Reports, Confirms Star Wars Succession Plan

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy addresses retirement rumors, clarifying her future with the company. Recent reports suggesting her imminent retirement in late 2025 have been met with a direct denial from Kennedy herself.

Earlier reports, originating from outlets like Puck News, claimed Kennedy was planning to retire at the end of her contract. While Variety dismissed the reports as speculation, The Hollywood Reporter corroborated them.

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Kennedy, in a statement to Deadline, confirmed collaboration with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan. 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, "I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies."

While acknowledging future succession plans and a potential departure from her current presidential role, Kennedy emphasized her continued involvement with Lucasfilm, including producing the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy. She highlighted the significant growth of Lucasfilm since she assumed the presidency 13 years ago, citing the expansion into streaming as a key factor.

Kennedy refuted suggestions of being forced out, stating that the notion of her needing replacement is entirely false. Her tenure has overseen the sequel trilogy (Episodes 7-9) and the expansion of the Star Wars franchise into streaming with shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte. While acknowledging the varied critical and commercial success of these projects, she maintained that her departure, if and when it occurs, will be entirely her own decision. She declined to confirm Filoni as her successor.