Kathleen Kennedy Denies Retirement, Reveals Star Wars Succession Plan

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has responded to reports suggesting she plans to retire in 2025, firmly denying any such intentions. Earlier this week, Puck News claimed that Kennedy, a veteran film producer, was set to retire at the end of her contract this year, having previously considered stepping down in 2024. While Variety dismissed these claims as "pure speculation" based on a source close to Kennedy, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the report.

In response, Kennedy told Deadline that she is working with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan after 13 years at the helm. She highlighted that Star Wars Rebels creator and current Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni is in a "strong position" to potentially take over. However, Kennedy was unequivocal about her own plans, stating, "The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring."

Kennedy emphasized her lifelong commitment to filmmaking, declaring, "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." She confirmed that Lucasfilm intends to make an announcement on succession "months or a year down the road," but she will continue in her role, working on projects like the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy.

Kennedy acknowledged the evolving nature of her role, noting, "I’m not going to be here forever. George [Lucas] asked me 13 years ago to step in, and now I’m looking at who’s going to replace me." She highlighted the growth of Lucasfilm's responsibilities, including the expansion into streaming, which was not part of the company's focus when she started.

Addressing speculations about being pushed out, Kennedy firmly stated that she is not being "pushed aside" or "in need of being replaced," describing such claims as "absolutely not the case" and "could not be further from the truth." Her tenure has seen the release of the sequel trilogy (Star Wars Episodes 7-9), and the launch of Star Wars streaming series including 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 have been divisive, with Solo: A Star Wars Story incurring financial losses.

When directly asked by Deadline if she would step down as Lucasfilm president this year, Kennedy responded that she did not know "at this stage," but assured that any decision would be "100% my decision." She remained non-committal about Filoni's potential succession.

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Kathleen Kennedy at the launch of Disney+ Star Wars show the Acolyte. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Gett