Disney announces Lucasfilm leadership transition as Kathleen Kennedy steps down

Published on 1/15/26 by Craig Smith

The Walt Disney Studios has officially announced a major leadership transition at Lucasfilm, with Kathleen Kennedy stepping down as president after nearly 14 years and returning to full-time producing. In her place, Disney is elevating two longtime Lucasfilm executives: Dave Filoni will become president and chief creative officer, while Lynwen Brennan will serve as co-president.

The change is one of the most significant shifts at Lucasfilm since Disney acquired the company in 2012. Kennedy has been the defining executive voice of Lucasfilm throughout the Disney era, overseeing the revival of “Star Wars” on the big screen, the studio’s expansion into live-action streaming series, and the continued stewardship of the “Indiana Jones” franchise. Disney said Kennedy will remain involved with Lucasfilm’s immediate film slate as a producer, including “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and “Star Wars: Starfighter.”

Disney’s announcement makes clear that the company is trying to balance continuity with a new leadership model. Filoni, long seen by fans as one of the most influential creative figures in modern “Star Wars,” will now formally lead the studio’s creative direction. Brennan, meanwhile, brings the operational and business side of the equation, with deep roots in Lucasfilm dating back to 1999 and leadership experience at both Industrial Light & Magic and the broader Lucasfilm organization. Both executives will report to Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman.

That structure says a great deal about where Disney believes Lucasfilm is headed. Rather than naming a single replacement from outside the company, Disney is handing the studio to two insiders with long institutional histories. Filoni represents the storytelling side of Lucasfilm’s future, particularly after years spent helping shape “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Rebels,” “The Mandalorian,” and “Ahsoka.” Brennan, by contrast, has been one of the company’s key business and innovation leaders, helping guide Lucasfilm through technological and organizational changes behind the scenes.

Kennedy’s departure from the presidency closes a highly consequential chapter for the studio. Under her leadership, Lucasfilm launched a new trilogy beginning with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which became a box office phenomenon, while also building out the franchise’s standalone film strategy with “Rogue One.” On the streaming side, the company moved aggressively into Disney+ with “The Mandalorian,” then expanded with titles including “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Ahsoka,” “The Bad Batch,” and “Visions.” Even where projects sparked debate among fans, Kennedy’s tenure undeniably reshaped Lucasfilm into a much broader multiplatform business.

Filoni’s promotion, meanwhile, formalizes a transition that many observers had already felt underway creatively. He has increasingly become one of the central architects of on-screen “Star Wars,” especially on television. Disney’s official release highlights his work with George Lucas, his role in establishing Lucasfilm’s animation studio, and his involvement in some of the franchise’s most important modern series. Giving him the title of president and chief creative officer signals that Disney wants that influence to define the next era more explicitly.

Brennan’s new role is just as important, even if it may draw less fan attention. Lucasfilm today is not just a film label or a streaming brand. It is also a technology-driven production company with major business arms tied to visual effects, franchise management, and global operations. Brennan’s experience across those areas suggests Disney wants steady executive management alongside Filoni’s creative leadership.

The timing also matters. Lucasfilm has major theatrical releases on the horizon, and Disney is clearly trying to position the studio for its next phase before those films arrive. By keeping Kennedy involved as a producer while handing day-to-day leadership to Filoni and Brennan, Disney is presenting the move as both a handoff and a continuation.

For Disney and “Star Wars” fans alike, the announcement marks a real turning point. Kathleen Kennedy’s era as Lucasfilm president is ending, and the studio’s next chapter will now be shaped by one of the franchise’s most visible creative figures and one of its most experienced operational leaders.