Dave Filoni, a key figure in the “Star Wars” universe and a central creative force behind the successful streaming series “The Mandalorian,” has been appointed as the new president of Lucasfilm, which is owned by Walt Disney. This change comes as current Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy steps down from her role this week to focus on producing full-time.
Filoni, who is 51 years old, will now lead one of the most lucrative movie franchises globally, overseeing both live-action and animated television shows. He will collaborate with co-president Lynwen Brennan, who manages the studio’s business affairs and operations.
Disney CEO Bob Iger commended Kennedy for her leadership, vision, and stewardship of the studio. Kennedy, who is 72 years old, has been at the helm of Lucasfilm since Disney acquired it in 2012. During her tenure, she oversaw three major sequels to the original “Star Wars” trilogy and the successful spinoff “Rogue One.”
However, not all projects under her leadership were successful. The 2018 film “Solo,” which introduced a new actor as the iconic smuggler Han Solo, did not perform well at the box office. This led to concerns that audiences might be losing interest in the franchise. Iger acknowledged this in 2023, stating that the film “gave us pause” and prompted a strategic shift.
In response, Disney placed the “Star Wars” movies on hold in 2019, focusing instead on live-action TV series such as “The Mandalorian.” The company also canceled planned “Star Wars” films directed by Patty Jenkins and Rian Johnson as Kennedy worked to re-evaluate the film strategy.
Filoni, during his time at Lucasfilm, was responsible for several popular and critically acclaimed TV series, including “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka.” Both Kennedy and Filoni have worked closely with George Lucas, the creator of the original “Star Wars” film series that debuted in 1977. The franchise has generated over $10.3 billion in global box office revenue, according to Comscore.
Lucas personally selected Kennedy as his successor to lead Lucasfilm. She co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall and played a key role in producing classic films such as “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,””Jurassic Park,” and “Schindler’s List.”
The five “Star Wars” films overseen by Kennedy earned a combined $5.9 billion. The most successful among them, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015), surpassed $2 billion in worldwide ticket sales.
Kennedy described it as a privilege to work at Lucasfilm, expressing pride in what had been accomplished together. Under her leadership, Lucasfilm expanded into producing live-action streaming TV series, including Filoni’s “The Mandalorian,” which launched alongside the Disney+ streaming service in 2019. Other series included “Ahsoka,” another Filoni project, and “Andor.”
Lucasfilm also added “Star Wars”-themed lands at Walt Disney World in Florida and at Disneyland in California. Daniel Loria, editorial director of Boxoffice Media, praised Kennedy for taking on an “impossible task” of following Lucas and delivering the platform-defining “Mandalorian” for Disney+.
He also noted that she “landed the plane” with “Rogue One,” despite multiple rounds of rewrites and re-shoots.
Lucas hired Filoni in 2005 to help establish a “Star Wars” animation studio. Often seen at Hollywood premieres and fan events wearing a cowboy hat, Filoni contributed to the creation of the animated TV series “The Clone Wars.”
“The Mandalorian” will soon make its way to the big screen in a film co-written by Filoni called “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” Additionally, the film “Star Wars: Starfighter,” featuring Ryan Gosling, is set for release in May 2027. Kennedy will continue to work as a producer on these films.
Daisy Ridley, who starred in the sequel trilogy beginning in 2015, has also announced her return to a new “Star Wars” project.