Here’s a report from THR tackling Hollywood’s “succession wars” that slyly mentions intel on Lucasfilm’s plans to replace Kathleen Kennedy, who is rumoured to officially step down in August.
It appears increasingly likely that Lucasfilm will look inward when choosing Kennedy’s successor. Insiders indicate the studio is leaning toward elevating longtime team members. The most “likely” option involves chief creative officer Dave Filoni and head of development Carrie Beck stepping into shared leadership roles.
Filoni, often seen as George Lucas’ “spiritual successor,” has long been positioned as a central figure within the company. However, some within Disney express concern to THR that his deep connection to Star Wars lore could alienate casual viewers — he’s more aligned with shows like “Ahsoka” than the grounded tone of “Andor.”
Beck, with the company since 2012, is deeply familiar with its operations but, like Filoni, lacks a substantial film background. That gap may be bridged if Kennedy remains on board as a producer for select projects, providing continuity and oversight as the transition unfolds
Filoni is currently serving as CCO of LucasFilm. After directing episodes of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” he was tasked by George Lucas to oversee the television series — and then film version — “Star Wars: Clone Wars.” Filoni is the creator, executive producer and writer of live-action miniseries “Ahsoka,” and was executive producer on “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” and “Skeleton Crew.”
There hasn’t been a ‘Star Wars’ movie released since 2019’s ‘Rise of the Skywalker.’ That will change next year when Jon Favreau’s ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ hits theaters in May 2026.
Over the past six years, Lucasfilm has become a revolving door of Star Wars announcements — many of which never made it past the press release stage. Projects came and went, often quietly shelved, painting a picture of a studio in disarray. Kathleen Kennedy seemed to have lost the reins. The one bright spot? She managed to get Jon Favreau’s film off the ground. Beyond that, it’s been a rough stretch, with only “Andor” standing out as a legitimate creative win in an otherwise shaky Disney+ era.
There are currently nine ‘Star Wars’ movies in development, from directors Simon Kinberg, James Mangold, Sharmeen Obaid-Chimoy, Dave Filoni, Donald Glover, Shawn Levy, Taika Waititi, Rian Johnson and Patty Jenkins.