Kathleen Kennedy Steps Down from Lucasfilm Leadership

For years, there’s been speculation about Kathleen Kennedy’s future at Disney, particularly concerning her role overseeing the Star Wars franchise. Recently, those rumors were confirmed: she will be stepping down, which has prompted a wave of celebration among many fans of the series.

An official announcement from StarWars.com indicates that Kennedy is “resigning his position” at Lucasfilm. Interestingly, the company also mentioned that she would shift back to full-time production roles, particularly on their upcoming projects like The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter.

The leadership transition will see producer Dave Filoni take the helm as president, with chief creative officer Lynwen Brennan stepping in as co-president.

In an “exit interview” with Deadline, Kennedy took some time to tout the box office successes of theatrical releases, portraying her tenure as one marked by notable achievements. She particularly highlighted The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, calling the latter “one of the best Star Wars movies.” Yet, it’s worth mentioning, she seemed to overlook other projects that didn’t fare as well, such as The Acolyte—a Disney+ show described as disconnected and costly—and Willow, which was canceled after lackluster viewership.

Kennedy also defended the much-debated Indiana Jones and the Destiny Dial, starring the iconic Harrison Ford, which came with a hefty price tag of over $100 million. “I have no regrets about that,” she asserted, adding that Ford was eager for the project, emphasizing it was his wish to continue the franchise.

In the wake of the announcement, numerous fans from the original Star Wars community expressed their joy that Kennedy was no longer directly involved with the franchise, even if she wasn’t technically fired. Social media reactions were largely positive, celebrating this shift.

YouTuber Vala Dark chimed in, suggesting that Kennedy had undermined the core values of the series and that her leadership had put it in jeopardy. “It could be better,” he told his audience, advocating for a future where projects are greenlit based on merit rather than alignments with specific agendas.

In further commentary, another YouTuber remarked that Kennedy’s decisions often seemed misguided, referencing The Acolyte as a prime example of such choices.

Gary Buechler, also known online as “Otaku-like,” was particularly harsh in his assessment of her legacy, suggesting that she mismanaged one of the most celebrated film franchises in history. He noted a disconnect between her perceived successes and the reality fans experienced, underscoring a pervasive sense of disappointment amidst her accolades.