Is Kathleen Kennedy leaving as the President of Lucasfilm and will Dave Filoni replace her? The possibility that Filoni will be the successor to Kennedy as the head of Lucasfilm has fueled intense speculation among Star Wars fans. Kennedy, who has led the company since 2012, recently revealed that she has been discussing succession plans with Bob Iger and Alan Bergman. While she has not confirmed any immediate departure, her comments have led many to question whether her time at Lucasfilm is nearing its end. With Filoni’s increasing influence over Star Wars, fans wonder if he is being positioned as her successor.
But is there any truth to these rumors? Here’s a breakdown of the situation.
Will Dave Filoni replace Kathleen Kennedy to take over Star Wars at Lucasfilm?
As of now, Filoni is not confirmed to take over Lucasfilm. Moreover, Kennedy has made it clear that she is not stepping down anytime soon.
In a recent interview with Deadline, Kennedy directly addressed the speculation about her departure. She revealed, “The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring. 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 acknowledged that she has been discussing a long-term succession plan but emphasized that any official announcement would come “months or a year down the road.”
Since her statement, various industry insiders and fan discussions have speculated about potential candidates, with Filoni emerging as a top contender. A well-known scooper, MyTimeToShineHello, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that “Dave Filoni is a candidate to replace Kathleen Kennedy after she steps down from Lucasfilm next year.” However, there has been no confirmation from Lucasfilm or Disney regarding this possibility. Moreover, Kennedy herself hinted that she might remain at Lucasfilm for “eight or ten more years.”
Kennedy has consistently denied reports suggesting she is stepping down. She dismissed the speculation, stating, “Any discussion previously about me retiring or quitting or any of those things, that’s complete rumor mill because through all these reports, I have just continued doing my job and continuing my contract. Nothing unusual. It all has just been manufactured.”
Her response clarifies that she is not leaving Lucasfilm at the moment, and Filoni has not been officially confirmed as her replacement.
