What this week’s major Star Wars shake-up means for the future of the franchise

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After almost 14 years leading Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy is leaving her position as president. Chosen by George Lucas himself to guide the franchise when Disney bought it for $4.05 billion in 2012, Kennedy revitalized Star Wars and brought fresh energy to the series.

When Disney acquired Star Wars, it had been a while since a movie had been released – Revenge of the Sith was the last one. The animated series The Clone Wars was currently airing, and the game studio LucasArts was developing several projects, including the highly anticipated Star Wars 1313. Kathleen Kennedy, known for her long-standing collaboration with Steven Spielberg and her work on the Indiana Jones films, appeared to be an ideal choice to lead Star Wars, bringing a touch of the classic 1980s Amblin style to the franchise.

She played a key role in the success of several major Star Wars projects, including The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and the hugely popular The Mandalorian, which generated significant revenue from Grogu merchandise. However, there were also challenges, such as the divisive reception of The Rise of Skywalker – which proved even more controversial than The Last Jedi – and the cancellation of The Acolyte after Disney had already invested $230 million in it.

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Although the three most recent Star Wars films each made over $1 billion, each one earned less than the previous. Daisy Ridley is set to return as Rey in a new movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy – one of several announced in 2023 – but, like many Star Wars projects, it doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet. This pattern of announced projects being delayed or stalled has been a frequent issue during Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership.

There’s been a lot of talk about Dave Filoni potentially taking over from Kathleen Kennedy as the head of Star Wars, and Lynwen Brennan handling the business aspects as co-president. But what will this leadership change actually mean for the future of the franchise?

Following the news of her potential departure as Lucasfilm president, Kennedy spoke with Deadline to share updates on the future of Star Wars and the projects currently in the works.

When the solo Rey movie was announced, several other Star Wars films were also in development. These included a James Mangold project exploring the origins of the Jedi, a new film from Taika Waititi, a movie bringing back Donald Glover as Lando, and a story featuring Adam Driver as Ben Solo. However, Kathleen Kennedy has confirmed that while the James Mangold film has a highly-rated and innovative script, it’s currently paused.

Kennedy indicated that while Mangold’s film and Soderbergh’s project are currently paused, the ideas for films from Taika Waititi and Donald Glover still have potential. She explained she’s limited in what she can confirm, especially as she’s transitioning out of her role, and that ultimately, the new leadership team will decide which projects move forward. She emphasized that anything is possible if someone is willing to take a chance.

The interview revealed that many projects announced during Kathleen Kennedy’s tenure as president of Lucasfilm probably won’t happen. One notable example is Rian Johnson’s planned trilogy, which was intended to explore a different path for the story after he directed The Last Jedi. Kennedy explained that Johnson’s deal with Netflix played a role, but also suggested he was discouraged by the negative reaction from fans online, stating, “I think Rian made one of the best Star Wars movies.”

Similar to how Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm led to a wave of new Star Wars content, Kathleen Kennedy leaving her role as president signals a fresh start for the franchise. This change could bring in new creative voices and a revised plan for the future. However, it won’t be a complete overhaul. For example, a new Star Wars trilogy produced by Simon Kinberg, who’s known for his work on the X-Men films, is already in development.

So, apparently Kinberg’s first attempt at a Star Wars story was solid, but just didn’t quite hit the mark. Now, things have been completely reworked, and he’s planning to submit a new version in March 2026. Kathleen Kennedy has said that Dave Filoni and Brent Brennan are really supportive of what Simon Kinberg is doing now, and if everything goes according to plan, we’re looking at new Star Wars movies well into the 2030s! It’s exciting to think about where they’re taking things!

As a huge Star Wars fan, it was really interesting to hear Kathleen Kennedy talk about starting her job. Apparently, Bob Iger told her to ‘be bold,’ and that’s what she hopes the next person in charge will do too. She said she’s always believed in taking chances on new people and ideas – otherwise, everything would just get stale and repetitive, and we wouldn’t get anything fresh!

What I just described is a bit risky, because these filmmakers aren’t interested in making typical movies. I think that’s great, but the studio is worried about it, and that’s where things stand right now.

Even though Kathleen Kennedy mentioned Disney seems hesitant about fresh creative directions, the possibility of big-name directors joining Star Wars is generating a lot of buzz. Reports suggest she’s been considering acclaimed filmmakers like David Fincher and Vince Gilligan, potentially as a way to leave a lasting impact on the franchise.

Two more Star Wars films produced by Kennedy are on the way: The Mandalorian and Grogu this summer, and Star Wars: Starfighter next summer. After those releases, a new era for the franchise will truly begin.

It’s fun to imagine what Dave Filoni and Kathleen Kennedy have in store for the future. With Filoni now leading the way, a team-up movie similar to The Avengers, featuring characters from The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s timeline, seems increasingly possible. While many fans are eager to see more stories from the High Republic era and find out what happens with all the loose ends in The Acolyte (especially regarding Darth Plagueis), a shift in leadership would likely be needed before those stories get continued.

Now that Dave Filoni is focusing on TV, it’s unclear if he and Kathleen Kennedy’s successor, Brent Brennan, will continue her goal of bringing Star Wars back to the big screen. Regardless, they should heed Kennedy’s advice to “be bold” – imagine what they could achieve if they did!

Every Star Wars movie and TV show can be watched on Disney+.

The latest issue of Living Legends is out now, and it’s dedicated to the incredible Dolly Parton! You can find ‘Dolly at 80’ in all good newsagents or order it online for only £8.99.

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2026-01-16 17:50