The world of Disney’s Star Wars is about to experience a major, major change, for the current president of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy seems to be done with it once and for all. This is because exclusive reports from insider sources have it that the 71-year-old co-founder of Amblin Entertainment will reportedly step down from her position soon.
That said, there has been quite a bit of speculation about just who could replace her to become the new prez of the film and TV production company. While one of the names being tossed around in the mix the most is that of Kevin Feige, there are some other and better options down the lane to choose from too. Like Dave Filoni – whom many fans are already rallying for.
Kevin Feige could replace Kathleen Kennedy, but Dave Filoni could do it better
According to the latest reports from an industry insider, after almost a decade and a half of serving as the president of Lucasfilm since 2012, Kathleen Kennedy is reportedly finally all ready to step down from her position and let someone else take over the Star Wars universe. Per Puck News, she will be stepping down by the end of 2025.
This has brought about a lot of names being pushed into the mix, with one of the most stellar candidates currently being Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige thanks to his commendable talent of balancing corporate needs with the perfect understanding of a core IP. Plus, he’s a fan of the saga that George Lucas gave birth to, so that’s a further plus point.
However, while Feige has proved his worth with all the outstanding career accomplishments he has pulled over the years, including delivering such epic projects that even earned him the title of the highest-grossing producer of all time as the primary producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the suffering and downfall of the super-verse as of late is making fans doubt that choice.
That brings the other best name in the mix forward: Dave Filoni. The director, producer, and screenwriter is currently serving as the chief creative officer of the production company Lucasfilm and has brought to the table some iconic fan-favorite pieces like The Mandalorian, The Clone Wars, and Skeleton Crew as an executive producer, so that gives him an edge over the rest.
Additionally, having been a part of the saga for so long, Filoni has obviously developed more than just a deep knowledge of the Star Wars universe which has even allowed him to establish a strong connection with the fanbase too. That said, his taking the position of the president from Kennedy could potentially result in fans getting a more tailored approach to the franchise.
Thus being mentioned, a lot of fans have been rallying for the same as they share their popular opinion about the same on X:
Dave literally understands the source material, if Disney is smart they’ll make him the president of lucasfilm
— Dont @ me (@Satans_RightNut) February 25, 2025
Filoni is a great choice tbh, he respects and understands the franchise
— HX Kuhn (@hxkuhn) February 25, 2025
Filoni is loved by fans, but the corporate game is different.
— Infinite Realm (@infinlterealm) February 25, 2025
No, Filoni and Favreau are literally right there and primed to become a Safran/Gunn type leadership duo. Let them cook
— 優木 せつ菜 🇯🇵 | Love Live Superstar S3 SZN (@Nljigakulive) February 26, 2025
It’s filoni. George made the decision years ago.
— Supreme Dearest Leader (@SupremeDearest) February 26, 2025
Feige can’t even manage Marvel Studios right now, how can he manage Lucasfilm on top of it?
— Whimsical Wizard (@wiz_whimsical) February 26, 2025
All of these opinions from a part of the fandom are justifiable while looking at the credits Filoni holds to his name. But that hasn’t closed the doors on the other contenders who could prove to be equally great – if not greater – for the role.
Other potential contenders who could replace Kathleen Kennedy as Lucasfilm prez
While Kevin Feige and Dave Filoni are two of the strongest candidates who could replace Kennedy for the position of the next president of Lucasfilm to bring their own creative flair to the lore, there are numerous other potential contenders as well. This especially includes Jon Favreau, whose contribution through The Mandalorian was widely appreciated by many.
Emma Watts, the former longtime president of production at 20th Century Fox, is yet another name in the mix, who is responsible for having steered the X-Men movies and launching Deadpool, among others. She has been waiting for her comeback since her brief stint as Paramount’s motion picture group’s prez, and she could serve as a good replacement for Kennedy.
Next in line – though one of the lesser-expected-to-return candidates – is J.J. Abrams, who is credited for taming one of the most wildly successful Star Wars projects, The Force Awakens, as well as one of the most lambasted additions, The Rise of Skywalker. However, there is a higher chance that he might not return, and fans won’t be all that disappointed about it.
Then, of course, one of the most suggested options is also having a Filoni-Favreau-styled leadership of the franchise. As even fans are suggesting, handing the reigns of the saga to both Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau to result in a leading pair like James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-CEOs of DC Studios (but only better).
But, at the end of the day, these are only suggestions, so it remains to be seen who actually ends up as The Chosen One.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
