Kathleen Kennedy’s Perspective on the Future of ‘Star Wars’ Films

With the news of her departure and the promotion of Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, Kathleen Kennedy sat down for an interview with Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. The interview was extensive, revealing the lead-up to the decision to step down and preparing Filoni and Brennan for the eventual succession. Additionally, she explained her aspirations for the future, discussed the current status of the films, and shared some interesting tidbits 

The Transition Plan and Process

Kennedy had the first conversation two years ago about transitioning out of the president position and recommended Filoni and Brenan from the start.

Lucasfilm

• She states that Brennan has been her “key financial partner, my business partner running the company.” 

• Trained by George Lucas himself, Filoni understands Star Wars more than most, yet he had not worked on a live-action movie up to that point.

• As early as Rogue One, Kennedy had Filoni involved to prepare him for his new role, and he eventually worked even more closely with Jon Favreau on The Mandalorian and the feature film The Mandalorian & Grogu. 

• Kennedy completely rules out returning as the studio's president. Her goal is to strictly produce and make films, both in the Star Wars universe and on other projects, especially with her husband, Frank Marshall.

I think you have to be bold and you have to be willing to take risks … Otherwise you are just doing the same thing.

The Current Status of Star Wars Movies 

While things constantly flow and change in Hollywood (especially with a change in studio leadership), Kennedy also used this interview (conducted around December 18, 2025) to provide updates on Star Wars movies.

Lucasfilm

• Starfighter was designed as a stand-alone film. However, Lucasfilm is very excited about the movie, specifically the performance of young Irish actor, Flynn Gray. She states, “I will be very surprised if he doesn’t go on and we don’t try to see if there might be future stories.”

• James Mangold and Beau Willimon have turned in “an incredible” script for Dawn of the Jedi. 

• Steve Soderbergh and Adam Driver turned in a script written by Scott Burns, which we know would have been The Hunt for Ben Solo. Kennedy states, “It was just great. Anything’s a possibility if somebody’s willing to take a risk.”

• She described both of these projects as "on the back burner." 

• Rian Johnson’s trilogy is off the table due to his time commitments in making Knives Out films for Netflix.

• Taika Waititi and Donald Glover both turned in separate scripts that are “still somewhat alive”.

• Simon Kinberg’s trilogy is fully moving forward and making great progress:

  • He wrote something in August that was “very good, but not there.” 

  • He finished a detailed 70-page treatment four weeks before the interview. Lucasfilm expects another update from him in March.

  • “I know that Dave and Lynwen are very much on board with what Simon’s doing, and that would be a new trilogy. In the timeline of things, that takes you well into 2030 plus. So that’s really what’s up next.”

• Kennedy will produce both The Mandalorian & Grogu and Starfighter. When it comes to other Star Wars films, “I am open to producing any of what it is they need. Certainly, in the things that I’ve been involved in and the filmmakers that I’ve been working with, I’d love to see those through if I could. But I’m not mandating any of that.”

• Interesting to note that there was no mention of Filoni’s New Republic film or Sharmeen Obaid-Chinnoy’s Rey New Jedi Order film. We will have to wait for any updates from the new leadership at Lucasfilm.

Lucasfilm 

Follow Youtini for more on this story as we continue to see what is next for this next era for Star Wars. Be sure to listen to the most recent episode of The Youtini Show for a full discussion of Lucasfilm’s change in leadership and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, the Youtini Dispatch, for up-to-date news!