End of a Polarizing Era: Woman in Charge of ‘Star Wars’ Is Officially Being Replaced

Whatever one may think of the Disney-owned era of Lucasfilm and “Star Wars,” it’s hard to deny that the House of Mouse products have been highly polarizing.

While certain projects, like the 2016 movie “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” or the first seasons of Disney Plus series “The Mandalorian” and “Andor,” have received some praise, most others have not.

Notably, the Disney trilogy of mainline “Star Wars” films (subtitled “The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi,” and “The Rise of Skywalker”) seemed to deeply divide the fan base.

While some fans were just happy to have “Star Wars” back, many others were less than thrilled with the direction those movies took, particularly with regard to how those films handled some of the original characters.

(Lucasfilm also oversees the “Indiana Jones” franchise, and its most recent movie outing faced similar scrutiny as the above “Star Wars” films.)

The nadir of the Disney era seemed to come with the Disney Plus series “The Acolyte,” which was heavily criticized for a number of reasons, including lore plot holes, forcing in modern pronoun usage, and introducing particularly maligned lesbian space witches.

Since that show’s unceremonious end in late 2024, Disney has largely pulled back on its content mill, having released just four shows (and no movies), including a children’s show.

Despite that lull, there’s been no shortage of criticism for the woman who oversaw this period of “Star Wars,” Kathleen Kennedy.

Perhaps most infamously, adult satirical cartoon “South Park” dedicated a whole episode to her decision-making, including the now-infamous parody quote mocking Kennedy’s alleged “Star Wars” mandates: “Put a chick in it and make her lame and gay!”

Now, after all those ups and downs, it appears Kennedy’s time as president of Lucasfilm has come to an end.

According to Variety, Kennedy’s stepping down from her lofty role.

Despite rumors of her departure percolating for a year, Kennedy is expected to step down expeditiously, per The Hollywood Reporter.

While she is leaving her perch, it appears she will at least finish the job she started with the next two theatrical “Star Wars” films.

Kennedy is expected to remain involved with the studio and will take on a producer role for its next two theatrical releases, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and “Star Wars: Starfighter.” Both films are slated for theatrical release in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

“When we acquired Lucasfilm more than a decade ago, we knew we were bringing into the Disney family not only one of the most beloved and enduring storytelling universes ever created, but also a team of extraordinary talent led by a visionary filmmaker — someone who had been handpicked by George Lucas himself, no less,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement, per Variety. “We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”

(Of note, Iger is also expected to leave Disney in 2026.)

Interestingly, Disney appears set to split Kennedy’s role.

Showrunner Dave Filoni is poised to assume the role of president and chief creative officer, while executive Lynwen Brennan will step in as co-president and handle more of the business side of Lucasfilm.

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