Amid persistent rumors that Kathleen Kennedy intends to step down as CEO of Lucasfilm, THR is claiming to have confirmed that the controversial exec is indeed set to pass the torch... but not until "shortly after" Disney's Bob Iger does the same.
When this might be is not clear, but insiders believe it's highly unlikely that either of them will still be in their respective positions by the time the next Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, hits theaters next May. In preparation, the studio is reportedly eyeing two potential candidates to take over from Kennedy once she does decide to step aside.
According to the trade, "The current thinking is a scenario where chief creative officer Dave Filoni and production head Carrie Beck — both Lucasfilm vets — take co-head roles."
Filoni is still highly-regarded in the Star Wars fan community, but as popular as he may be, many seem to feel that he's the wrong man to run Lucasfilm. Filoni's animated projects were incredibly successful, but the live-action Disney+ shows he worked on were less effusively received. Some at Lucasfilm/Disney feel that he "might be too steeped in Star Wars lore and risks steering a show into dense mythology that loses a broader audience."
“He’s not the Andor guy, he’s the Ahsoka guy,” said one insider.
Back in February, Kennedy denied that she is planning to retire, while also indicating that someone will eventually emerge as her successor at Lucasfilm.
"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. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring."
"What’s happening at Lucasfilm is I have been talking for quite some time with both Bob [Iger] and Alan [Fine] about what eventual succession might look like. We have an amazing bench of people here, and we have every intention of making an announcement months or a year down the road. We are in lockstep as to what that’s going to be, and I am continuing."
"I’m producing the Mandalorian movie right now, and I’m also producing Shawn Levy’s movie, which is after that. So I’m continuing to stay at Lucasfilm and looking very thoughtfully with Bob and Alan as to who’s stepping in," she added. "So that is all underway, and we have every right to make that announcement when we want to make it.
Kennedy has had a lot of success at Lucasfilm, but many fans have simply lost faith in her ability to run the company, and are looking for new blood to guide the Star Wars franchise. To be honest, we're not sure how well an announcement that Filoni will be taking over would be received, but we might just find out soon enough.
Would you like to see Filoni and Beck take over from Kathleen Kennedy as CEO of Lucasfilm? Let us know in the comments section.