“Star Wars” has new emperors.
Disney said on Thursday that Kathleen Kennedy would step down as the president of Lucasfilm after nearly 14 years, a period marked by successes (“The Mandalorian,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Andor”), some misses (“Solo”) and near-constant culture-war-related turbulence. She will be succeeded by Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm’s chief creative officer, and Lynwen Brennan, the studio’s business affairs and operations chief.
Their appointments are effective immediately. Mr. Filoni, 51, will hold the title of president while remaining chief creative officer. Ms. Brennan, 58, will be co-president. Ms. Kennedy, 72, will return to her storied producing career, which started in 1982 with “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Poltergeist.” She is a lead producer for two upcoming “Star Wars” movies.
Disney gave her an effusive send-off, even by Hollywood standards, with Robert A. Iger, the company’s chief executive, calling Ms. Kennedy “a visionary” in a statement and Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, also lavishing praise on her.
Lucasfilm is extraordinarily difficult to run. The studio’s movies and TV shows are expensive to make because they rely on extensive visual effects, leading to intense scrutiny from Wall Street and the news media. At the same time, the “Star Wars” fan base can be toxic and resistant to change — especially regarding diversity in casting and storytelling, both of which Ms. Kennedy prioritized. Racist and misogynistic voices often overshadow positive discussion about new films and shows.
Ms. Kennedy was initially set to hand over the “Star Wars” controls in 2024, but she agreed to a contract extension. At the time, Lucasfilm was in the throes of putting together “Star Wars: Starfighter,” a high-stakes movie directed by Shawn Levy and intended to evolve the franchise beyond the Skywalker saga. Lucasfilm was also smarting from “The Acolyte,” an expensive Disney+ show that was criticized for its diverse cast. Disney canceled it after one season, citing inadequate viewership.
In choosing Lucasfilm veterans as Ms. Kennedy’s successors, Disney is signaling that it believes the boutique studio is on the right path. The selections can also be interpreted as a conciliatory nod to fans: The “Star Wars” you know and love is safe.
Mr. Filoni, an idiosyncratic executive with a fondness for western wear, has worked at Lucasfilm for 21 years. He is known for his strong standing among “Star Wars” die-hards: They tend to trust him, in part because he was mentored by George Lucas, who created “Star Wars” in 1977. Mr. Filoni has been a producing and writing force behind hit Lucasfilm shows like “Ahsoka,” “The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels” and “The Mandalorian.”
Ms. Brennan, who grew up in Wales, is a 27-year Lucasfilm veteran. She got her start at Industrial Light & Magic, the Lucasfilm-affiliated visual effects company. Ms. Brennan has recently managed the studio’s games, publishing and consumer products divisions.
Ms. Kennedy took over Lucasfilm from Mr. Lucas in 2012. He sold the studio to Disney for $4 billion shortly thereafter.
Eager to show a return on its investment, Disney pushed Ms. Kennedy to begin cranking out “Star Wars” movies. She swiftly delivered a new trilogy that generated nearly $5 billion in ticket sales — a triumph. A blockbuster fourth film, “Rogue One,” took in more than $1 billion.
With a creative team that included the filmmaker Jon Favreau, Ms. Kennedy then served up “The Mandalorian.” It was a sensation, almost single-handedly making Disney’s streaming service an overnight success. “Andor,” an acclaimed 2022 series, was another notable achievement.
Along the way, Ms. Kennedy became a lightning rod.
She tried to make “Star Wars” more appealing to women and minorities; the fan base, while colossal, was (and is) largely male and white. Many fans praised the effort, but another faction recoiled. In 2023, “South Park” parodied Ms. Kennedy as giving the same feedback on every project: “Put a chick in it! Make her lame and gay!”
For a time in the middle of her tenure, Ms. Kennedy became known for clashing with film directors over tone and style, leading to their departures. Several “Star Wars” movie projects were announced and then quietly scrapped, annoying fans. “Solo” sputtered at the box office in 2018, prompting Disney to slow the “Star Wars” movie output.
Lucasfilm appears to have regained its footing. In May, the “Star Wars” franchise will return to movie screens for the first time since 2019 with “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” The movie, directed by Mr. Favreau, could give sales of “Star Wars” merchandise a needed jolt.
Ditto “Starfighter,” which stars Ryan Gosling. It is scheduled for release in May 2027, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of “Star Wars.”
Brooks Barnes is the chief Hollywood correspondent for The Times. He has reported on the entertainment industry for 25 years.
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