Why Did Kathleen Kennedy Step Down From Lucasfilm After 14 Years Of Redefining 'Star Wars'?

Kathleen Kennedy, one of the most successful and brilliant producers of Hollywood, joined Disney's Lucasfilm back in 2012. She was handpicked personally by George Lucas for her impressive resume that had the mention of her brilliant projects over the years, including E.T., Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and Schindler’s List.

In 2012, Kathleen Kennedy joined Lucasfilm, and eventually she became the president, and under her wings, Star Wars flourished from a mere movie to an entire universe. Earlier, speculations were rife that Kathleen Kennedy would probably leave behind the legacy and part ways with Lucasfilm, and it was on January 15, 2025, when it was confirmed. Ending her 14-year journey with Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy will now step down from her position, and Dave Filoni will take over the position. Well, what was the reason for Kathleen Kennedy to step down from Lucasfilm after 14 years? Let's have a look!

Why did Kathleen Kennedy step down from Lucasfilm?

Under Kathleen Kennedy's leadership, The Force Awakens became a huge success, followed by the dark theme of Rogue One, which was also a beloved project among the fans. Kathleen Kennedy also brought excitement among the fans with The Last Jedi, although the fans were divided. As she continued to expand the Star Wars-universe, she introduced several themes, female characters and more, which left fans conflicted and led them feel the Star Wars universe was too stretched and even becoming confusing.

With the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, criticism started to grow, given that it was a box-office failure. Following this, The Rise of Skywalker and its sequels were also widely criticised. With Kathleen Kennedy, box-office numbers reached USD 5.6 billion, and Disney+ also started evolving. While she surely made Star Wars a universe, beginning with The Force Awakens in 2015, which grossed USD 2 billion worldwide, she struggled to deliver the magic that viewers felt. Viewers felt that the vision of Star Wars was being scattered with way too many entrances and so many directions.

Following this, several projects were announced and then shelved, several directors came and then departed, and this instability ended up pushing Lucasfilm behind the scenes, in a way. As Star Wars went into a dry spell, it could be broken in May 2026 with Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian & Grogu, but the future of the universe remains uncertain. Although Kathleen is leaving behind her legacy, it will always be ever-shining with the fact that she was the one to make Star Wars into a universe by delivering TV shows, movies and whatnot!

Who is taking over the president's position at Lucasfilm after Kathleen Kennedy?

Now that Dave Filoni has taken the position of president and creative officer of Lucasfilm, with Lywen Brennan being on the business side, a new era might begin. Dave joined Lucasfilm in 2005, and with George Lucas, he worked on The Clone Wars. He is known for his storytelling abilities, and now that he has taken over the chief creative officer's designation, fans have been expecting that the Star Wars universe get consistency while focusing on a vision, but also while delivering new ideas. Talking about the new beginning, he said:

"From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling on-screen that we have ever seen. I am incredibly grateful to Kathy, George, Bob Iger, and Alan Bergman for their trust and the opportunity to lead Lucasfilm in this new role, doing a job I truly love. May the Force be with you."

What do you think about Kathleen Kennedy stepping down from Lucasfilm after 14 years?

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