Thrawn and Rey: Star Wars future revealed after Kennedy's departure

Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy has stepped down, making way for Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan. They will share responsibilities, focusing on the creative and commercial sides respectively.

Star Wars is in a bit of a strange position. The franchise has many directions it could have gone in, but many of the projects never made it into production. Many decisions depend on Disney and Bob Iger, who is more cautious about risks than any of the heads of the subsidiary studios.

The Hollywood Reporter talks about the current status of Star Wars and where it might be headed further. First of all, films that will be released in the next couple of years were mentioned.

The first of them is “The Mandalorian and Grogu” from director Jon Favreau. The story was co-authored by Filoni. The premiere will take place on May 21 this year, and the future of the franchise on the big screen depends on the project.

The film was greenlit to replace the fourth season of The Mandalorian during the 2023 strikes. But after the first trailer, it made fans wonder why Lucasfilm didn’t just wait to create the fourth season.

Shawn Levy's Star Wars: Starfighter project is scheduled for release next. This is the last film in the series produced by Kennedy as president of Lucasfilm. Little is known about the blockbuster, which will be released in May 2027, other than that it takes place five years after The Rise of Skywalker. Sunrise."

The Han Solo prequel rewrote the plot of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

More than ten years after the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the plot was reworked.

To celebrate the film's 10th anniversary, a comic book entitled "Star Wars: Han Solo - The Hunt for the Falcon" was released from Marvel Comics. The five-issue mini-line follows Harrison Ford's traveler-adventurer several years before what happens in episode seven. He was looking for his ship, the Millennium Falcon, in space.

The fifth issue brought a new twist to the Star Wars chronology, which raised a lot of questions among fans.

The comic was expected to end with Han returning to the YT-1300 light freighter, but this did not happen. History has rewritten the events that led to The Force Awakens.

New footage of The Mandalorian and Grogu hints at an upcoming trailer

The Mandalorian & Grogu is the next big release in the Star Wars franchise, bringing a galaxy far, far away back to theaters. It is clear that the stakes are higher than ever.

Before the sessions of Avatar: Fire and Ash, a new trailer is shown, which is unlikely to appear online, since it is only an extended version of the first video. But we got a fresh shot.

The new image shows the main characters: The Mandalorian and Grogu. They are on a ship. Apparently, this scene is in the trailer.

Kathleen Kennedy officially resigns

This week, Kathleen Kennedy officially steps down as president of Lucasfilm. Dave Filoni will oversee the creative direction of Lucasfilm as President and Chief Creative Officer. Lynwen Brennan will handle the business side of things as co-president of Lucasfilm.

Kathleen Kennedy talks about plans for future Star Wars films:

6 Things We Learned from Hayden Christensen's Keynote at FAN EXPO New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 9: Actor Hayden Christensen performs on stage during FAN EXPO 2026 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on January 9, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo: Erika Goldring/Getty Images)

The Chosen One himself, Hayden Christensen, was a special guest at this weekend's FAN EXPO in New Orleans, during which the crowd-favorite Star Wars star revealed some interesting things about a galaxy far, far away.

Welcome to Lucasfilm

The official Lucasfilm YouTube channel just released a video called “Welcome to Lucasfilm,” which ends with Dave Filoni talking about Star Wars.

How Maul the Shadowlord could fulfill George Lucas' plans for a sequel trilogy

Maul (Sam Witwer) in the upcoming Maul, Lord of Shadows, streaming later this year on Disney+.

Maul – Shadow Lord will (in all likelihood) be the first Star Wars TV series in 2026. Announced at Star Wars Celebration Japan last year, the new animated series is set between the events of The Clone Wars and Rebels and follows everyone's favorite Sith Lord-turned-crime lord as he rules the underworld following the rise of the Empire. Judging by footage shown exclusively at Celebration Japan and other rumors, there's a good chance Maul of Shadows will be more than just a solo outing for fan-favorite character Sam Witwer, but a fulfillment of George Lucas' shelved plans for a sequel trilogy.

The trailer for Maul - Lord of Shadows shows dark gangs of crime, ominous talk of changing the situation in the galaxy and, of course, Maul himself. However, it was the appearance of another character that made us think about the full scope of the upcoming series.

'Starfighter' will be like 'Stranger Things'

Star Wars: Starfighter director Shawn Levy talks about the similarities with Stranger Things. Levy was an executive producer and director of the hit Netflix series.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter the director expressed his desire that "Star Starfighter" felt "epic and intimate" in the same way that "Stranger Things" did. He also talked about how the show taught him not to be overwhelmed by franchise expectations and instead focus on the characters.

If I've learned anything from Stranger Things, it's that the scale of a franchise's expectations can be daunting. But you will go astray if you focus on this. I realized the need to stay true to the characters, underlying themes and relationships on screen. Yes, there is spectacle and scale here, just like in “Stranger Things.” And of course, “Star Wars” has spectacle, scale, and adventure on a level that I’ve never achieved in my entire career. But like “Stranger Things,” it’s also heavily character-driven. I think if I can balance the epic with the intimate like the Duffer Brothers did. I will be able to create an original new Star Wars adventure that will truly satisfy fans and audiences.

Kathleen Kennedy could be leaving Lucasfilm soon - replacement revealed

Kathleen Kennedy may still leave the post of president of Lucasfilm in the near future. This could lead to changes in Star Wars, which has been criticized for controversial decisions under her.

Last year it was already reported that Kennedy was leaving leadership. Now these rumors have resurfaced. This time it became known who will replace her.

According to Puck News, Kennedy will be replaced by Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan, who will serve as co-heads of the studio. The system will be reminiscent of DC Studios, where James Gunn is in charge of creative decisions and Peter Safran is in charge of money.

Filoni previously held the post of creative director at Lucasfilm, so his responsibilities will not change much. At the same time, Brennan will continue to serve as CEO of Lucasfilm Business.

Kennedy's departure is expected to be announced in the next few weeks. Representatives from Disney and Lucasfilm did not comment on the information.