Star Wars: Disney CEO Addresses Future of Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy

Ever since Disney took over the Star Wars franchise and appointed Kathleen Kennedy as the president of the company, the company's handling of the license has been controversial, to say the least.

With the poorly received sequel trilogy now concluded, and the two spin-off films having received a mediocre reception, it's clear to say the most popular thing to come out of the Disney era of Star Wars has been its TV properties.

The Clone Wars Season 7 received excellent reviews, Rebels had a successful four-season run, and The Mandalorian took Star Wars into its first live-action blockbuster series with critical acclaim across both seasons.

However, controversy continues to surround the company's president, Kathleen Kennedy, with many believing Lucasfilm veterans like Dave Filoni would be a better fit for the job. As the debate continues, Disney has responded to questions calling for her firing, defending the controversial figure.

CHAPEK RESPONDS TO KATHLEEN KENNEDY FIRING QUESTIONS

During today's Disney Investor Call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has responded to a question asking if they are “looking at firing Kathleen Kennedy and asking someone like Filoni to take over?” The CEO confirmed that they “look forward to having Kathy Kennedy run our Lucasfilm operations for many years to come,” shutting down any speculation of a potential departure for Lucasfilm President Kennedy.

Further questions continued to call for the firing of the Lucasfilm president to which Chapek defended her once again sharing he is “absolutely thrilled” to have “creative talent” like Kennedy in the company:

“We've been absolutely thrilled that we can have the creative talent in our company the likes of Kathleen Kennedy. We look forward to having Kathleen directing Lucasfilm activities for years to come.”

KENNEDY'S LUCASFILM FUTURE IS SECURE

It's safe to say the Disney era of Star Wars has been incredibly divisive among fans. The sequel trilogy was seen by many as a "cash grab" by the company, with many still refusing to ignore its very existence. However, most of the non-Skywalker Saga properties to come out of the company over the last eight years have been generally well-received by fans. 

With no blockbuster films in the franchise set to hit theaters until Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron in 2023, it's clear the company will be pushing forward with a focus on Disney+ series in live-action and animation.

Over the coming years, many eras of the popular sci-fi universe will begin to be explored, including the High Republic and the dark days between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Meanwhile, Jon Favreau will continue to explore to timeline of The Mandalorian with the help of The Clone Wars creator Dave Filoni across multiple interconnected spin-off shows.

The Star Wars franchise will next be explored in The Bad Batch animated series which will premier May 4 on Disney+.