Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has addressed recent reports suggesting her retirement from the company in late 2025. Earlier this week, Puck News reported that Kennedy planned to retire at the end of her contract. While Variety dismissed the report as speculation, The Hollywood Reporter corroborated the claims.

Kennedy herself has now responded, clarifying her position to Deadline. She confirmed that she is collaborating with Disney CEO Bob Iger on a succession plan, thirteen years into her tenure. Dave Filoni, creator of Star Wars Rebels and Lucasfilm's chief creative officer, is reportedly a strong contender for her position. However, Kennedy emphatically stated, "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."

While acknowledging the development of a succession plan and the eventual need for a replacement, Kennedy emphasized her continued involvement with Lucasfilm. This includes overseeing production of the upcoming Mandalorian movie and a Star Wars film directed by Shawn Levy. She stated that the decision to step down from her role as president will be entirely hers, and that she doesn’t yet know when that will be. She also denied any suggestion that she is being pushed out, calling such claims untrue.

Kennedy's tenure has overseen the release of the sequel trilogy (Episodes VII-IX), the launch of the successful Star Wars streaming era, encompassing shows such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, and The Acolyte. While some projects, such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, achieved significant box office success, others have faced mixed reception, and some, like Solo: A Star Wars Story, were financially unsuccessful. While confirming plans for a future announcement regarding her succession, Kennedy firmly stated she is "continuing to stay at Lucasfilm."