Disney’s Star Wars Succession Problem: Who Will Replace Kathleen Kennedy?

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In 2008, when Dave Filoni’s highly praised animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, first aired, the opening crawl of its premiere episode declared: “Leaders with great influence bring out the best in others.

Who will Disney select as their inspiration for the future generation of Star Wars creative minds, with Kathleen Kennedy, a long-term leader at Lucasfilm, set to retire later in the year?

Or:

Which individual will Disney pick to inspire the upcoming creators of Star Wars, given that Kathleen Kennedy, who has been leading Lucasfilm for quite some time, is retiring this year?

Or:

Who might Disney select as their motivator for the future team of Star Wars creatives, seeing as Kathleen Kennedy, a key figure at Lucasfilm, plans to retire later in 2022?

For the very first time in Lucasfilm’s history, the selection of a new leader for the Star Wars franchise will be unlike any other. George Lucas personally chose Kennedy as the head of the company back in 2012 before relinquishing his ownership to Disney. Up until now, Disney had kept Kennedy in her role. However, with this transition, Disney will select a different individual to guide their galactic adventures.

In her leadership role, Kennedy navigated the Star Wars empire through numerous triumphs (like the series’ re-entry into cinemas with The Force Awakens and its transition to television with The Mandalorian), as well as facing criticism for some missteps (such as underperforming films and shows, abandoned projects, and controversial casting decisions that were seen as a shift towards diversity). Additionally, Kennedy and Disney have been subject to backlash from the fanbase due to perceived attempts at inclusivity and a focus on social issues, a perception that Bob Iger, Disney’s leader, has expressed a desire to overcome.

Although Kennedy’s upcoming retirement may spark enthusiasm among online fans, experts suggest it will be challenging to find a suitable replacement. Some within the industry, including studio managers and agents, opine that the company’s senior leadership has fallen short in nurturing and promoting a new generation of potential successors.

One explanation for Kathy’s prolonged tenure is that there wasn’t a compelling alternative, according to someone with frequent interactions with Lucasfilm management. It’s been suggested that Rayne Roberts, a former Lucasfilm executive who spent 12 years there, was being prepared by Kennedy as a potential successor. However, it was recently revealed that Roberts has taken on the role of Searchlight’s new senior VP of production.

From my perspective as an ardent fan, the specifics of Kennedy’s job are quite fascinating. As a movie producer, he wasn’t just responsible for the new Star Wars films, but also an Indiana Jones movie, and a variety of live-action and animated series. It might seem to outsiders that this role is primarily managerial, but in truth, it involves a blend of creative and administrative tasks that are far from mundane.

One producer connected to Star Wars explains that what many people fail to grasp is that the role isn’t primarily about creativity; instead, it encompasses roughly 10% creativity. The remaining 90%, however, involves managing Disney, handling licensing issues, and engaging with fans.

It’s worth noting that there are a few individuals who have been suggested as possible successors to Kennedy, some of whom have been discussed before, or who have caught the attention of industry analysts due to their potential suitability for one of the most challenging and closely watched roles in the entertainment industry.

As a passionate gamer and creator, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to shape two epic universes – the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the release of Iron Man back in 2008, and more recently, I catapulted Star Wars into a new era of television storytelling with The Mandalorian in 2018. Now, I’m gearing up to direct the first new Star Wars film since 2019, titled The Mandalorian & Grogu. With Mando, I found myself immersed in this universe, instinctively knowing what fans crave for a casual viewing experience. Beyond that, I’ve also served as an executive producer on various other Star Wars shows. However, it’s important to clarify that Kennedy’s role is more about management than creativity. As one observer puts it, “He won’t want to be an executive.

Dave Filoni: Having been mentored directly by George Lucas, Filoni has earned a special place in the hearts of the Star Wars fanbase, who view him as one of their own and an integral part of the Star Wars creative process. Over time, Filoni has risen through the ranks, starting with the creation of The Clone Wars, working alongside Favreau on The Mandalorian, overseeing other animated shows, and now helming his first live-action scripted series, Ahsoka, set to debut in 2023. However, the reception of Ahsoka has been mixed, and some within the industry perceive Filoni as being less traditional in terms of management or corporate leadership (not necessarily a negative trait). As one source puts it, “He’s an invaluable source of knowledge, but he’s fundamentally a TV guy.” However, another source tells THR that Filoni is Disney’s preferred choice to succeed Kennedy, and predicts that his ascension will be officially announced at Star Wars Celebration in April (this has not been confirmed by other sources, however).

When it comes to choosing between Favreau or Filoni for a new role… Let’s recall what Jedi Master Yoda wisely said: “When there is no best option, two options work.” So, if one possibility for replacing Kennedy is to combine Favreau or Filoni with an experienced studio manager who may not be familiar with the intricacies of Coruscant and Corellia (like 20th Century Studios head Steve Asbell, or Lucasfilm president and GM Lynwen Brennan), it would resemble the collaboration between Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and former literary manager and producer Peter Safran at DC Studios. In this arrangement, one person handles the creative aspects while another manages the less glamorous corporate responsibilities. Alternatively, Disney could team up Favreau and Filoni together and delegate some of the position’s routine tasks to their executives.

According to many industry experts, Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, seems to be a strong contender for the role due to his exceptional talent in managing corporate requirements while maintaining a deep connection with core intellectual properties. Notably, he is a devoted fan of Star Wars as well (he was initially assigned to produce a Star Wars film, but the project, like many others during Kennedy’s tenure, was ultimately canceled). However, it appears that Feige’s chance to take over the Star Wars franchise may have come and gone. The optimal moment for Feige to claim the Star Wars empire would have been immediately following the massive success of two consecutive Avengers films in 2018 (Infinity War) and 2019 (Endgame), a period when Marvel was experiencing unprecedented popularity. Since then, Marvel has faced challenges, partly due to Feige being overburdened by the excessive content demands of Disney+. These effects are still evident, as demonstrated by the divided response to Captain America: Brave New World. Feige is currently working on readjusting Marvel, which includes launching Fantastic Four this summer and concentrating on the new Avengers films that will be filmed later this year. As one Disney insider puts it, “Feige makes perfect sense for the role, but he needs to stay focused on Marvel.

J.J. Abrams, who directed the blockbuster hit “The Force Awakens” in the Star Wars franchise and its less favorably received sequel “The Rise of Skywalker”, has had a strong connection with the brand. Alongside Bad Robot, he built a substantial media empire. However, Bad Robot and Abrams have been facing challenges recently, and Abrams hasn’t directed a film since “Skywalker”. This could be due to the lingering effects of his challenging Star Wars experience. As one source put it, “I don’t see him returning to that toxic environment.” The Star Wars journey clearly left an impact on him.

Emma Watts is an esteemed executive who served as the long-term head of production at 20th Century Fox, where she played significant roles in various projects. One of her notable accomplishments was guiding the (varying greatly in quality) X-Men film series – including the debut of Deadpool, and overseeing James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar during her term. After a short period as president of Paramount’s movie studio group, Watts has been on hiatus since a change in leadership at the studio in 2021. She is eagerly awaiting an opportunity to return to the industry.

Hannah Minghella, who worked under J.J. Abrams at Bad Robot, emerged as a potential candidate on Tuesday. With an impressive background spanning both live-action and animated productions, as well as family-oriented content, she has been a key figure in projects like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Hotel Transylvania, Jumanji, and Goosebumps at Sony Pictures. Currently leading Netflix’s feature animation and live-action family divisions, she would need to find a way out of her multi-year contract if selected for the role.

— Aaron Couch contributed to this report

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2025-02-26 02:25