Dave Filoni takes helm at Lucasfilm as Kathleen Kennedy steps down

Lucasfilm announced that Kathleen Kennedy will step down as studio president and transition to full-time producing, handing day-to-day leadership to Dave Filoni, who will become president and chief creative officer, with Lynwen Brennan named co-president to oversee business operations. The move, made public on Jan. 15, 2026, realigns the studio’s leadership around a split between creative direction and operational management and signals a new chapter for the Star Wars franchise.

Kennedy, whose tenure at Lucasfilm spanned roughly 14 years, will continue to shepherd several high-profile projects as a producer, including The Mandalorian and Grogu and the film Star Wars: Starfighter. Her record as a longtime Hollywood producer and co‑founder of Amblin Entertainment has been central to Lucasfilm’s commercial expansion and the broadening of Star Wars into streaming and film. Walt Disney Company co‑chairman Alan Bergman praised her contributions, saying, “Kathleen Kennedy has been a tremendous force in the industry for 50 years, and it’s been our privilege to have her here at Disney leading Lucasfilm for nearly 14 of them. She has steered Star Wars to incredible box office heights and brought a new generation of fans into the fold. We appreciate having her on board to produce our next couple of films, and the studio remains in extraordinarily capable hands with Dave Filoni, who’s a brilliant storyteller, and Lynwen Brennan, an avid innovator and business leader.” Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger also lauded Kennedy for her “leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”

Filoni’s elevation formalizes a rise that began with the animated series and grew through a string of streaming and live-action projects. He created and worked on The Clone Wars, and has been a driving creative force behind Ahsoka and an executive producer on The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Skeleton Crew. Filoni said he was “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.” He is expected to phase some executive responsibilities while completing work on the second season of Ahsoka, indicating a managed handoff rather than an abrupt pivot.

Brennan will shift from her role as president and general manager of Lucasfilm’s businesses to co‑president, charged with the business and operational side of the studio. She characterized Lucasfilm as “a community of inspiring storytellers with a rebel spirit like no other,” adding she was “honored to join Dave Filoni in leading us forward” and expressing “unwavering faith in Dave’s creative vision for the next chapter in this storied studio’s legacy.” Both Filoni and Brennan will report to Alan Bergman.

The restructuring reflects a broader industry trend toward separating creative stewardship from corporate operations at large franchises, a model designed to protect long-term creative vision while maintaining disciplined business oversight. For Lucasfilm, the choice of an insider creative like Filoni signals confidence in television-born auteurs who have earned trust with core fans, while Brennan’s operational leadership aims to keep the franchise’s sprawling production pipeline and commercial partnerships grounded.

Kennedy’s move back to producing preserves her influence over the brand while opening a path for Filoni to shape a consolidated creative roadmap. The change will be watched closely by fans, talent and investors, who will look for continuity in quality storytelling as well as sharper strategic alignment between Lucasfilm’s creative ambitions and Disney’s broader content strategy.