Kathleen Kennedy, who has led Lucasfilm since 2012, is preparing to retire by the end of 2025. This comes just months before the Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, where the future of the Star Wars franchise is expected to be a focal point. Reps for both Kennedy and Lucasfilm have not commented on the matter.
Kennedy joined Lucasfilm as co-chair with Star Wars creator George Lucas in 2012, just before Disney’s acquisition of the company for $4 billion. After Lucas’ departure, Kennedy took over the studio. Under her leadership, the Star Wars franchise was relaunched with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. The film brought the series back to the big screen, grossing over $2 billion globally and marking the start of a new era of Star Wars films.
From 2015 to 2019, Disney released a Star Wars film every year, including Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), The Last Jedi (2017), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). While The Force Awakens enjoyed massive success, the following entries faced mixed responses from both fans and critics. The production of Solo became a point of contention when Kennedy fired directors Chris Lord and Phil Miller mid-production, leading to the film’s underperformance and marking the first Star Wars film to lose money.
Amid the struggles on the big screen, Kennedy found success with Star Wars on Disney+. The Mandalorian, which debuted in 2019, became a cultural phenomenon and introduced one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, Grogu. The show was followed by several spinoffs, including Andor, which has been well-received by critics. Andor is set to return for a second season in 2025.
Despite the success on streaming, the future of Star Wars films has been uncertain. Numerous announced projects, including a new trilogy from The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and a series from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, were eventually scrapped. However, Kennedy’s leadership continues as Lucasfilm prepares to release The Mandalorian and Grogu in theaters on May 22, 2026, the first Star Wars film since The Rise of Skywalker.
Kennedy has a long history in Hollywood, having worked alongside Steven Spielberg and her husband, Frank Marshall, on many iconic films. She produced Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and the Indiana Jones series, among others. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for eight Academy Awards and produced or executive produced over 70 films.
With her retirement plans set, the future of Lucasfilm and Star Wars will likely shift as a new leader takes the reins. The upcoming Star Wars Celebration will be a critical moment for fans and industry insiders alike as they look ahead to what’s next for the galaxy far, far away.
