Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy’s Fate Seemingly Decided Following ‘Acolyte’ Cancelation

Disney and Lucasfilm have reportedly made a decision regarding Kathleen Kennedy.

Kathleen Kennedy at Comic Con — Credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

The Star Wars fandom constantly faces criticism and controversy, with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy often unfairly being blamed for the company’s more unpopular decisions. Kennedy’s role in Star Wars projects is discussed and critiqued from every angle, with a very vocal segment of the community calling her out any chance they get.

This results in a slew of monthly rumors claiming Kathleen is on the outs at Lucasfilm. However, these rumors are hardly, if ever, substantiated by anything other than opinion or speculation.

Fans may now have confirmation of what Kennedy’s role at Lucasfilm will look like for at least the next year, with the longtime executive remaining as president for the next several months.

Kathleen Kennedy Expected to Stay at Lucasfilm

Ewan McGregor (left) and Kathleen Kennedy (right) at D23 Expo — Credit: Lucasfilm

According to Jeff Sneider of TheInsneider, Kathleen Kennedy is expected to remain president of Lucasfilm until “at least Q2 of next year.” This means fans can expect to see Kennedy running the show until June 30, 2025, at the very least.

Kennedy is currently under contract until the end of 2024. Kennedy was granted an extension of three years back in 2021, with many fans wondering what might happen to Kennedy once this contract expires.

Kenedy has certainly faced turbulence during her time at Lucasfilm, residing as president during some of the company’s most controversial and most rewarding times.

Kennedy has overseen the release of six feature-length films, including The Force Awakens (2015), Rogue One (2016), The Last Jedi (2017), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019), all of which grossed at least a billion at the box office.

However, Kennedy also oversaw several major disappointments, with 2018’s Star Wars offshoot Solo floundering among critics and the box office itself.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the final chapter in the decades-spanning Indiana Jones franchise, failed to excite moviegoers as well, with the film becoming a certified flop shortly after its release in the summer of 2023.

These two disappointing releases prompted some fans to question Kennedy’s leadership, though Lucasfilm’s most recent decision will undoubtedly go down as one of the company’s most controversial.

Disney Cancels The Acolyte After One Season

Osha (Amandla Stenberg) and Qimir (Manny Jacinto) dressed in dark clothing stand side by side against a neutral background. The one on the left wears a hooded outfit and has short, styled hair, giving off subtle Star Wars vibes, while the one on the right has long hair tied back and is wearing a sleeveless top. Both appear contemplative. — Credit: Lucasfilm

While some of Lucasfilm’s ventures into the world of television have proved incredibly successful, with The Mandalorian shooting to the top of the charts, the company has certainly struggled to maintain this level of quality across its other original series.

Fans enjoyed Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka well enough, with Disney+’s Andor arguably becoming the crown jewel of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars television catalog.

However, The Acolyte, the company’s most recent project, failed to cultivate consistent viewership, with Lucasfilm pulling the plug on the series after just one season.

First debuting on June 4, 2024, The Acolyte sought to tell a bold new story set 100 years prior to the events of George Lucas’ first prequel film, The Phantom Menace (1999).

The Acolyte quickly became one of the most controversial releases the Star Wars brand had seen, with fans feeling divided on a variety of storyline elements, characters, and the show’s plot.

Disney confirmed the show would not return for a second season earlier in August, prompting even more outrage, this time from fans who had grown attached to the bold new series. The company cited low viewership and budgetary concerns as the primary reasons for canceling The Acolyte.

Mandalorian and Grogu at Disneyland Paris — Credit: Disney

While it’s anyone’s guess as to how much longer Kennedy actually stays at Lucasfilm, it makes sense for the executive to remain head of the company for the foreseeable future, with several more objects in the pipeline.

Lucasfilm has several more Disney+ original series planned, as well as a feature-length film based on The Mandalorian.

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