The Kathleen Kennedy Rumored Lucasfilm Exit May Be Nothing More Than Formality: Source Claims She’s Already Gone

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Rumors are circulating that Kathleen Kennedy‘s role at Lucasfilm may be diminishing. According to a source at That Park Place, she currently holds a largely symbolic position with little real authority. Many believe an official announcement of her departure is simply a matter of timing, beneficial to both her and Disney.

A recent report in Puck News by Hollywood expert Matt Belloni has sparked renewed discussion about the future leadership of Lucasfilm. Belloni claims the studio is planning a shift where Dave Filoni would take on a major creative leadership position with Lynwen Brennan, the head of Industrial Light & Magic, eventually replacing Kathleen Kennedy as the head of Lucasfilm. However, sources suggest this change may already be happening in practice, even if it hasn’t been officially announced.

For a long time, people both inside and outside of Lucasfilm have hinted that Kathleen Kennedy hasn’t been heavily involved in the company’s daily operations. She rarely makes public appearances at the studio or at fan events, and is often seen as working from a distance rather than actively leading on-site. Essentially, Lucasfilm seems to have been running without a fully engaged president for a while now, leading some to wonder if Kennedy’s role is now more about representing the brand than making day-to-day decisions. Employees have previously told us Kennedy is seldom seen at the Lucasfilm campus.

Dave Filoni has become increasingly central to the creative direction of Lucasfilm and Star Wars. He’s now a key leader, guiding both Disney+ shows and the overall story arc. At the same time, Lucasfilm is also focusing more on the technical side of filmmaking, bringing in leaders from ILM to improve efficiency and quality control – areas where the studio has been criticized after some disappointing movies and expensive streaming projects.

Belloni’s report doesn’t reveal a dramatic shift, but rather a formal recognition of how power already worked at Lucasfilm. While Kennedy remains the official head, the people actually making creative and operational decisions have been in charge for some time. This is a common situation in Hollywood, where older executives keep their titles even as newer leaders, who better fit the company’s current goals, take control behind the scenes.

What’s holding up the official announcement about Kathleen Kennedy’s departure from Disney? It might be waiting for some lifetime achievement awards, but more likely, they want to announce it after the The Mandalorian and Grogu movie comes out, hoping for a successful box office result to coincide with her exit. That’s not guaranteed, though. Interestingly, a recent report from Puck doesn’t mention anything about Jon Favreau potentially taking on a leadership role.

Look, if the reports are true – and it increasingly seems they are – Kennedy’s been checked out for a while now, mostly working remotely and not really involved in the day-to-day at the studio. So this supposed leadership change isn’t so much about replacing her as officially acknowledging what’s already been happening. Honestly, for Disney and Lucasfilm, making this official could be a good thing. Everyone – the filmmakers, the people with the money, and us fans – has been wondering who’s really in charge of such a huge franchise, and this might finally give us a clear answer.

Regardless of whether Kathleen Kennedy steps down immediately or stays on temporarily, Lucasfilm is clearly shifting towards a new leadership team. The change is already happening, and it’s just a matter of time before things are officially recognized.

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2026-01-07 15:56