Kathleen Kennedy Addresses Retirement Rumors, Confirms Star Wars Future

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent reports suggesting her retirement in late 2025. Earlier reports in Puck News claimed she planned to retire at the end of her contract, citing previous consideration of retirement in 2024. While Variety dismissed the reports as speculation, The Hollywood Reporter corroborated them.

Kennedy herself has now responded, clarifying her position to Deadline. She's collaborating with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan after 13 years at Lucasfilm. Dave Filoni, creator of Star Wars Rebels and Lucasfilm's chief creative officer, is reportedly a strong contender for her role. However, Kennedy emphatically stated, “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.”

While acknowledging an eventual succession announcement—potentially months or a year away—Kennedy confirmed her continued presence at Lucasfilm, overseeing projects like the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy. She emphasized that her departure is a planned transition, not a forced exit: “I’m not going to be here forever…George [Lucas] asked me 13 years ago to step in, and now I’m looking at who’s going to replace me. The job has grown since I stepped in. There was no streaming, there weren’t a lot of the things that we’re involved in right now going on. So it has grown.”

Kennedy also refuted claims of being pushed out, stating that was “absolutely not the case” and “could not be further from the truth.” Her tenure encompasses the sequel trilogy (Episodes 7-9), and the launch of the successful Star Wars streaming era, including The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte. While acknowledging the varied critical and commercial reception of these projects, she maintains ultimate control over her future.

When directly asked if she would step down this year, Kennedy responded that she didn’t know “at this stage,” but affirmed the decision would be “100% my decision.” She declined to comment on Filoni's prospects for the top job.