Brief
Kathleen Kennedy says she feels relief after leaving Lucasfilm
The longtime producer expressed mixed emotions about her departure at Bloomberg's Screentime event in Los Angeles.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Kathleen Kennedy told Bloomberg Businessweek editor Brad Stone at the Screentime event in Los Angeles that she feels "a bit of relief" after stepping down from Lucasfilm earlier in 2026, ending a 14‑year tenure overseeing the Star Wars franchise.
When asked if she felt "bittersweet" about leaving, Kennedy said no, noting the difficulty of filling the role created by George Lucas and the challenge of balancing fan expectations with new storytelling.
She recalled asking Lucas for guidance when he hand‑picked her as his successor; Lucas replied, "No, no, it’s all here," pointing to her head. Kennedy added she received "a couple of paragraphs" of story ideas but no full treatments.
Kennedy highlighted her proudest achievements as relaunching the film series with 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens and launching Disney+ series such as Andor and The Mandalorian. She declined to discuss specific regrets, saying the movie business rarely yields perfect hits.
Key facts
- Kathleen Kennedy stepped down from Lucasfilm in early 2026 after 14 years. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- She told Bloomberg's Brad Stone she feels "a bit of relief" about the departure. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Kennedy said George Lucas told her "No, no, it’s all here" when she asked for storytelling guidance. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- She cited the 2015 film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and Disney+ series "Andor" and "The Mandalorian" as proudest accomplishments. (hollywoodreporter.com)
Sources
- [1] hollywoodreporter.com — originally reported as “Kathleen Kennedy Admits to “A Bit of Relief” in Stepping Down From Lucasfilm After 14 Years”
