Thank God! “Star Wars” Key Figure Kathleen Kennedy to Retire by End of 2025

by Annika February 24, 2025

Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm boss and a key figure in the Star Wars franchise, is set to retire by the end of 2025, according to reports. Kennedy joined Lucasfilm in 2012 and despite various challenges, she helped to reinvigorate the franchise with a relaunch that started with 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The news of her retirement comes as the Star Wars franchise continues to evolve, with successful spinoffs on Disney+ and a new big screen outing being planned for 2026.

Thank God! “Star Wars” Key Figure Kathleen Kennedy to Retire by End of 2025

– Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, is reportedly planning to retire by the end of 2025.
– She joined Lucasfilm in 2012 and played a pivotal role in relaunching the Star Wars franchise, which was later met with mixed reactions.
– Despite some setbacks, she managed to breathe new life into Star Wars on Disney+, launching successful spinoffs such as The Mandalorian.

After over a decade in another universe, Kathleen Kennedy, the commander of Lucasfilm, is setting her sights on retirement. She has relayed to colleagues her intention to retire by the close of 2025, as revealed by Puck.

Kennedy’s representatives and Lucasfilm were unable to provide comments immediately.

Joining Lucasfilm in 2012 as co-chair with Star Wars’ originator, George Lucas, Kennedy took control of the company a few months later after Disney bought the company for billion, prompting Lucas’s departure.

After taking charge, Kennedy rebooted the iconic franchise with J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, which raked in over billion internationally and revitalized the brand on the big screen. Between 2015 and 2019, Disney released a new Star Wars film annually, pausing after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which garnered mixed reviews and made just half as much as The Force Awakens a few years prior.

With the spotlight on her as Lucasfilm’s leader, Kennedy faced several hitches along the way. Notably, she fired Chris Lord and Phil Miller, directors of Solo: A Star Wars Story resulting in it being the first Star Wars film to witness a loss at the box office. She also replaced Gareth Edwards, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’s director, with Tony Gilroy, who was hired to supervise reshoots. Despite the film becoming a billion hit, a number of other projects never saw the light of day

Although the Star Wars franchise experienced some turbulence in its return to the big screen, it managed to gain popularity on Disney+. Star Wars’ revival came with The Mandalorian, which premiered in November 2019 and grew into a major hit, with several spinoffs, including the eagerly-awaited Andor’s second season this April.

Lucasfilm’s upcoming projects include The Mandalorian and Grogu by director Jon Favreau, slated for May 22, 2026 release, marking the franchise’s first blockbuster release since Rise of Skywalker.

In her distinguished career, Kennedy has joined forces with the likes of Steven Spielberg and spouse Frank Marshall, with some of their memorable collaborations being Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Gremlins, The Color Purple, The Goonies, Empire of the Sun, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the Back to the Future trilogy and the Indiana Jones series. She has been linked to the production or executive production of over 70 films and has received eight Oscar nominations.