After years leading Lucasfilm’s iconic Star Wars franchise through both hits and misses, President Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down. Now, Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan are set to take over creative and business duties. And, the shift means that some Star Wars projects will suffer.
As the Star Wars franchise enters a new era without Kennedy’s guidance, the fate of its previously confirmed films and TV series is now uncertain. Among the impacted is the Mandoverse movie, which is set to feature a multiverse-like setting. It would unite characters from hit shows such as The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and The Skeleton Crew who will fight Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). The production and release of Mandoverse has now been put on hold, while others move forward.
Reports of Kennedy’s departure have been floating around for quite some time, so the recent confirmation of her stepping down wasn’t very surprising to most, it was even expected by some. However, the knowledge of the shift doesn’t make the delays of these highly anticipated Star Wars projects any less disappointing to the fans who had been looking forward to them for what seemed like ages. It also raises questions regarding what else is going to change or negatively affect the beloved franchise.
Lucasfilm, and by default, Star Wars, seem to be at a crossroads, with numerous potential paths forward but an apparent lack of direction. The company also appears to be reluctant to follow through with anything beyond standalone projects. While Lucasfilm gave up the “A Star Wars Story” label following the underperformance of Solo in 2018, its new movies are technically pieces of a larger story, especially The Mandalorian and Grogu. Those choices were likely influenced by Disney CEO Bob Iger.
The Mandalorian and Grogu, directed by Jon Favreau and co-written with Dave Filoni, is slated for release on May 22, 2026, and marks the first Star Wars movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. The project was released in place of the fourth season of the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian.
Cast
Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
TV Show(s)
The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
Movie(s)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Character(s)
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren