Dave Filoni is the new boss at Lucasfilm after Kathleen Kennedy steps down
Dave Filoni just got promoted to president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm, taking over from Kathleen Kennedy, who has led the studio since 2012 (about 13 years).
Kennedy isn't leaving Star Wars behind—she'll stay on as a producer for projects like The Mandalorian and Grogu (coming May 2026) and Star Wars: Starfighter.
Lynwen Brennan is stepping in as co-president to handle business operations.
Why does this matter?
Filoni's now in charge of where Star Wars goes next, across both movies and shows.
Disney clearly trusts his vision—he's the guy behind hits like The Mandalorian and helped shift Star Wars into live-action streaming since 2019.
He'll be working closely with Brennan, reporting up to Disney Entertainment's Alan Bergman.
Who is Dave Filoni?
Filoni has been a key part of Lucasfilm since 2005, when George Lucas brought him on to launch their animation division.
He helped create The Clone Wars and contributed to Rebels, co-created The Mandalorian, and serves as showrunner for Ahsoka.
Basically, he knows both animation and live-action inside out.
Who's he replacing?
Kathleen Kennedy took over from George Lucas back in 2012 and oversaw everything from the sequel trilogy to hit Disney+ series like Andor.
Now it's up to Filoni to build on her legacy while steering Star Wars into its next chapter.