Kathleen Kennedy Addresses Retirement Rumors, Reveals Star Wars Succession Strategy

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent reports suggesting her retirement in 2025. Earlier this week, Puck News claimed that the veteran film producer was set to retire at the end of her contract this year, having previously considered stepping down in 2024. However, Variety reported that a source close to Kennedy dismissed these claims as "pure speculation," while The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the story.

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20 ImagesIn response to these reports, Kennedy clarified her position in an interview with Deadline. She is currently working 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. Despite this, Kennedy firmly stated, "The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring."

She further emphasized her commitment to filmmaking, saying, "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 plans to make an announcement about her succession "months or a year down the road," but she will continue to stay at Lucasfilm. Her ongoing projects include producing the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy, known for Deadpool & Wolverine.

Kennedy acknowledged that she will eventually step down from her role as president of Lucasfilm, but she is not leaving the company or retiring from the film industry. She reflected on her tenure, 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. And as I said, we have a bench of people internally to handle the business, the creative side. The job has grown also since I stepped in. There was no streaming, there weren’t a lot of the things that we’re involved in right now going on. So it has grown."

Kathleen Kennedy at the launch of Disney+ Star Wars show the Acolyte. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney.Kennedy also refuted any suggestions that she was being "pushed aside" or "in need of being replaced," stating that such claims were "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 launched the streaming era with shows 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 if she would step down as Lucasfilm boss this year, Kennedy responded that she did not know "at this stage," but assured that any decision would be "100% my decision." She did not confirm whether Filoni would take over her role.