Kathleen Kennedy Addresses Retirement Rumors, Reveals Star Wars Succession Strategy

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent reports about her potential retirement, firmly stating that she is not planning to retire. Earlier this week, Puck News suggested that Kennedy, a veteran film producer, was set to retire at the end of her contract in 2025, having previously considered stepping down in 2024. While Variety dismissed the report as "pure speculation," The Hollywood Reporter confirmed it.

Every Upcoming Star Wars Movie and TV Show

20 Images

According to Deadline, Kennedy is currently collaborating with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan, with Star Wars Rebels creator and Lucasfilm's chief creative officer, Dave Filoni, reportedly in a strong position to succeed her. However, Kennedy made it clear that she is not retiring, emphasizing, “The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring.”

She further expressed her passion for filmmaking, stating, "I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring."

Kennedy confirmed that Lucasfilm intends to announce a succession plan in the coming months or a year, but she will continue her role at Lucasfilm. This includes producing the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy, known for Deadpool & Wolverine.

While it appears that Kennedy is preparing to step down from her position as president of Lucasfilm, she is not leaving the company or retiring from the film industry. She acknowledged the growth of her role since she started 13 years ago, mentioning the absence of streaming services at that time and the current expansion of Lucasfilm's projects.

Kennedy also denied any suggestions that she was being pushed out or needed replacement, calling such claims "absolutely not the case" and "could not be further from the truth." Under her leadership, Lucasfilm has produced the sequel trilogy (Star Wars Episodes 7-9) and ventured into streaming with series like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte. While some projects like Star Wars: The Force Awakens were major successes, others, such as Solo: A Star Wars Story, faced financial challenges.

When directly asked by Deadline whether she would step down as Lucasfilm boss this year, Kennedy responded that she did not know "at this stage," but affirmed that any decision to do so would be "100% my decision." She remained non-committal about whether Filoni would take over her role.