Several rumors circulating online claim that Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, the storied company behind Star Wars, has been fired. She has held the respected position since 2012, after Walt Disney acquired Lucasfilm. However, Kennedy recently set the record straight on her future at the company, putting to rest bizarre rumors. She also revealed about a potential succession plan being discussed, which would likely be announced down the line. Here’s everything you need to know on what Kennedy said about her retirement plans.
Did Star Wars’ Kathleen Kennedy get fired from Lucasfilm by Disney?
No, Kennedy is not fired from Disney-owned Lucasfilm.
In a conversation with Deadline, Kennedy confirmed that she is not departing Lucasfilm and also hinted at the possibility of staying for “eight or ten years”. However, she revealed that discussions are underway with Disney CEO Bob Iger and co-chairman Alan Bergman about an eventual succession plan. They intend to announce her successor “months or a year down the road.”
Addressing her retirement plans, she said, “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.” Moreover, she mentioned that she is currently working on The Mandalorian & Grogu as well as Ryan Gosling-starrer, Shawn Levy project, which will release after the former.
She stated about being unaware of the retirement rumors, further dismissing it completely. Despite the ongoing speculations, she remains dedicated to fulfilling her current role’s responsibilities. “I truly don’t know. And 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, ” she adds.
She further suggested that internal candidates are being considered for the Lucasfilm presidency but remained tight-lipped about potential names. After the succession plan was revealed, industry insiders and fans began speculating about the leading contenders for her role. One name emerging consistently is that of Dave Filoni, chief creative officer of LucasFilm.
