Dave Filoni to Lead Lucasfilm as Kathleen Kennedy Steps Down. A major era for Star Wars is coming to an end. After 14 years at the helm, Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as President of Lucasfilm. The studio confirmed today that Dave Filoni will take over as President and Chief Creative Officer. He will lead the company alongside Lynwen Brennan, who has been named Co-President.
The New Leadership – Dave Filoni is a name most fans already know well. He started at Lucasfilm in 2005, working directly under George Lucas on The Clone Wars. Since then, he’s been the creative force behind Rebels, Ahsoka, and The Mandalorian. Lynwen Brennan isn’t a newcomer, either. She joined the company in 1999 and has spent years running the business side of things, including a long stint at the visual effects giant Industrial Light & Magic.
What’s Next for Kathleen Kennedy?
Kennedy isn’t leaving the galaxy entirely. She’s moving back into a full-time producing role. Her next big projects are the upcoming films The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter.
Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, thanked Kennedy for her work over the last decade. He noted that she was handpicked by George Lucas himself when Disney bought the company back in 2012. Under her watch, the franchise grew from just movies into a massive streaming presence on Disney+.
Kennedy’s career is massive, even outside of Star Wars. Before Lucasfilm, she co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg. She helped produce some of the biggest movies ever made, like E.T., Jurassic Park, and Back to the Future.
In her own words, Kennedy said she’s proud of what the team has done together and is looking forward to working with “fresh voices” as a producer. This marks a shift toward a more “fan-centric” leadership. Filoni is often seen by the community as the successor to George Lucas’s creative vision.
“My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas,” Filoni said in a statement. “I never dreamed I would be privileged to learn the craft of filmmaking from both of them.”
Filoni is currently working on the second season of Ahsoka and is busy preparing The Mandalorian and Grogu for its theatrical release on May 22, 2026.
Here is the official Press Release from Star Wars
