„Star Wars“: Dave Filoni ascends to Lucasfilm President

Change at the top of Lucasfilm: Dave Filoni, who was previously responsible for Disney's “Star Wars” brand as Chief Creative Officer, will become Lucasfilm President. He thus succeeds the long-standing president Kathleen Kennedy, who held the position since Disney's “Star Wars” takeover in 2012.

Disney announced the personnel changes in a press release. According to the release, Filoni will be supported by Lynwen Brennan as co president, who will primarily be responsible for economic management. Filoni himself is likely to remain strongly involved creatively; he is expected to retain his title as Chief Creative Officer as President of Lucasfilm.

“My love for storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas,” Filoni is quoted as saying in the release. “I never dreamed I would have the privilege of learning the craft of filmmaking from both of them.” Filoni was responsible for the animated “The Clone Wars” series before working on series like “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka.”

Before her position as Lucasfilm President, Kathleen Kennedy produced several successful films, including “E.T.” and “Jurassic Park.” For Disney, she will still produce the two planned films “The Mandalorian and Grogu” and “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which are scheduled to be released in cinemas in 2026 and 2027.

“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm after his retirement, I couldn't have imagined what lay ahead,” said Kennedy. “It has been a true privilege to work alongside the extraordinary talents at Lucasfilm for over a decade.”

According to the industry magazine Hollywood Reporter, the preparation for the leadership change at Lucasfilm had recently slowed down the production of new content. Now that Kennedy's succession has been clarified, production can regain momentum.

(dahe)