Kathleen Kennedy, an iconic figure in the Star Wars universe, is leaving

Long rumored, Kathleen Kennedy's departure had fueled speculation for over a year, before accelerating significantly in recent weeks with the possibility of a handover by Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, appointed co-presidents of Lucasfilm. Who will replace Kathleen Kennedy at Lucasfilm? The news is now official. Dave Filoni will take charge of the company's creative direction, while Lynwen Brennan will lead strategy and operations. Both will report to Alan Bergman, co-president of Disney Entertainment. With this change in leadership, Lucasfilm should accelerate the development of new Star Wars projects, after a period of relative inactivity in recent years. In a statement, Kathleen Kennedy said: "When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I could never have imagined what lay ahead." It has been a true privilege to spend over a decade alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm. Their creativity and dedication have been an inspiration, and I am deeply proud of what we have accomplished together. I look forward to continuing to develop films and series, with longtime collaborators as well as new voices that represent the future of storytelling.” Kathleen Kennedy is expected to continue producing outside of Lucasfilm. Her non-Star Wars production credits include The Sixth Sense and Lincoln. The films she has worked on have garnered a total of eight Academy Award nominations for Best Picture. Star Wars: A Franchise Run Dry? In terms of overall assessment, Kathleen Kennedy has contributed to pushing the film franchise to its limits, without ever fully recapturing the magic and charm of its origins. The new trilogy, in particular, has often been perceived as a weakening of the work begun by the creator himself. It remains to be seen what will become of Star Wars: Starfighter and whether the film will manage to distinguish itself where other projects have disappointed (see Star Wars: Starfighter, the ending is already generating debate). As for the series, the situation appears more nuanced: despite a universe that is sometimes overexploited, some productions have managed to produce truly exceptional episodes. It is now hoped that the new management at Lucasfilm will take more risks and offer writers the necessary space to bring genuinely original Star Wars projects to fruition. To be continued, and may the Force be with them.