Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent speculation about her retirement, firmly denying that she plans to step down in 2025. Earlier this week, Puck News reported that Kennedy, a veteran film producer, intended to retire at the end of her contract this year, following a previous consideration to retire in 2024. While Variety labeled the report as "pure speculation," The Hollywood Reporter confirmed it.
Kennedy herself has now clarified her position. In an interview with Deadline, she stated she is collaborating with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan after 13 years at Lucasfilm. Star Wars Rebels creator and current Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni is reportedly a strong contender for her role. However, Kennedy was emphatic about her commitment to the film industry, saying, "The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring. 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."
She confirmed that Lucasfilm plans to make an announcement about her succession "months or a year down the road," but emphasized that she will continue to stay at Lucasfilm. Kennedy is set to produce upcoming projects, including a Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy.
While acknowledging that she won't be at Lucasfilm forever, Kennedy noted the company's growth since she took over, particularly in the streaming sector. She also denied any suggestions of being "pushed aside" or "in need of being replaced," calling such claims "absolutely not the case" and "could not be further from the truth."
During her tenure, Kennedy has overseen the production of the new sequel trilogy (Star Wars Episodes 7-9), and has been instrumental in launching Star Wars' streaming era with series like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte. While some projects, such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, have been major successes, others have been divisive or financially disappointing, like Solo: A Star Wars Story.
When asked directly by Deadline if she would step down as Lucasfilm president this year, Kennedy responded that she did not know "at this stage," but assured that any decision would be "100% my decision." She remained non-committal about Filoni taking over her role.
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