Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent speculation about her retirement, firmly denying any plans to step away from her role. Reports from Puck News suggested that Kennedy, a veteran film producer, was set to retire at the end of her contract in 2025, having previously considered retiring in 2024. However, while Variety dismissed these claims as "pure speculation," The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the report.
In response to these conflicting reports, Kennedy spoke to Deadline, emphasizing her commitment to the film industry. She stated, "The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring." Kennedy further asserted her dedication, saying, "I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring."
Kennedy did acknowledge that she is working with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan, mentioning that Star Wars Rebels creator and current Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni is in a "strong position" to potentially take over her role. However, she clarified that Lucasfilm intends to make an announcement about her successor "months or a year down the road," while she continues her work at Lucasfilm, including producing upcoming projects like the Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy.
Despite these plans, Kennedy emphasized that she is not being "pushed aside" or "in need of being replaced," stating that such claims are "absolutely not the case" and "could not be further from the truth." She reflected on her tenure, which has seen the release of the sequel trilogy (Star Wars Episodes 7-9), the launch of several successful streaming series like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte, as well as films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the less financially successful Solo: A Star Wars Story.
When directly asked by Deadline if she would step down as Lucasfilm boss in 2025, Kennedy responded that she did not know "at this stage," but affirmed that any decision to leave would be "100% my decision." She did not confirm whether Filoni would be her successor.
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