Kathleen Kennedy, architect of woke Star Wars era, steps down as president of Lucasfilm

Kathleen Kennedy, the longtime president of Lucasfilm, will step down after a 14-year tenure and leave The Walt Disney Company this year.

Disney announced that Kennedy will be replaced by two executives. Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni will become president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm, while President and General Manager of Lucasfilm Business, Lynwen Brennan, will be co-president. Filoni will oversee artistic aspects of the company, and Brennan will focus on the business aspect. The pair will report to Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment.

Kennedy will continue to serve as a producer on two upcoming theatrical releases, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which are scheduled for release in 2026 and 2027.

Disney CEO Bob Iger, who is also expected to depart the company in the future, praised Kennedy’s leadership in a statement, saying, “When we acquired Lucasfilm more than a decade ago, we knew we were bringing into the Disney family not only one of the most beloved and enduring storytelling universes ever created, but also a team of extraordinary talent led by a visionary filmmaker – someone who had been handpicked by George Lucas himself, no less.”

“We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand,” Iger added.

The leadership change comes after a period of sustained scrutiny of the Star Wars franchise under Kennedy’s tenure. Once considered one of the most beloved franchises in movie history, Star Wars has faced increasing criticism from within its own fan base during the Disney era, with many viewers accusing the franchise of becoming too “woke.” The backlash intensified last year with the release of the Star Wars series “The Acolyte,” after its showrunner described the series as the “gayest Star Wars ever.”

Incoming leadership will now face the challenge of maintaining the relevance of the Star Wars brand at a time when fans have grown increasingly discontented, arguing that recent content has strayed too far from the franchise’s original canon and instead has pushed the political ideologies of executives.