Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy is reportedly planning to step down before the end of 2025, according to industry sources.
Puck News reports that the veteran producer and studio head intends to retire upon the conclusion of her contract this year. The outlet further claims Kennedy previously contemplated retiring in 2024 but postponed her decision. While Variety cites a source close to Kennedy who dismissed Puck's report as "pure speculation," The Hollywood Reporter has corroborated the story.
Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in 2012, initially serving as George Lucas's handpicked co-chair to run the studio. Following Lucas's departure, she was promoted to president and has overseen the Star Wars franchise ever since.
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Her tenure included launching a new sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX) and spearheading Star Wars's streaming era with series such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew. While films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens were box office triumphs, others, such as Solo: A Star Wars Story, proved divisive and underperformed financially.
While still unconfirmed, Kennedy's potential exit would cast further uncertainty on a slate of announced and rumored projects, including films from James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and Donald Glover, as well as a long-gestating Rey-centric movie.
The upcoming lineup of Star Wars projects includes The Mandalorian & Grogu and a new trilogy from Simon Kinberg.
Before her work at Lucasfilm, Kennedy co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall. She has produced iconic films such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and Back to the Future, earning eight Academy Award nominations for Best Picture.
