Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy gave a bombshell interview during which she provided several shockingStar Warsupdates. The future ofStar Warsmovies and TV showshas been in question of late, especially because many of theupcomingStar Warsmoviesstill seem to be a major question mark. It doesn’t help thatStar Wars’upcoming TV showsare sparse, to say the least, with onlyAhsokaseason 2 andAndorseason 2—which comes out in just a few months—currently confirmed.
With Star Wars Celebration 2025 just around the corner in April, surely more announcements are coming, but there has certainly been plenty of concerned chatter aboutStar Wars’future. The franchise was thrown even further into chaos just this week when it was circulating that Kathleen Kennedy was retiring.Now, not only has Kennedy indicated she isn’t leaving Lucasfilm, but she has also dropped a number of shocking revelations in a recent interviewwithDeadline.
Kathleen Kennedy Isn’t Going Anywhere Soon
The News Of Kennedy’s Retirement Wasn’t Entirely Accurate
Just a few days ago, the news that Kathleen Kennedy was retiring was circulating widely, and it seemed all but confirmed.Kennedy has shocked many with the update that she isn’t planning to leave Lucasfilm anytime soon. In fact, not only isKathleen Kennedy not retiring, but also, she explained in her interview:
“The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies. That is the first thing that’s important to say. I am not retiring. What’s happening at Lucasfilm is I have been talking for quite some time with both Bob and Alan about what eventual succession might look like.”
Kennedy did indicate that an announcement could be coming in"months or a year."
It’s clear that the news wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Clearly, conversations are happening about an eventual succession plan. The word ‘eventual’ is the operative one, though, as this process will evidently be taking place at a much later point in time than was expected when this news first spread.
Kennedy Revealed First Details About Shawn Levy’s Star Wars Movie
Kennedy Provided Shocking Updates On Levy’s Movie
Shawn Levy’sStar Warsmovie is one of several upcomingStar Warsmovies, but it is also among the projects that felt uncertain. Very little has been revealed about Levy’s movie, including its place in theStar Warstimeline. At present, Levy has really only shared that the movie is intended to be a standalone. Given the minimal details, it felt as though the movie was quite early on in the process, butKennedy just confirmed that Levy’sStar Warsmovie is much further along than many thought.
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Evidently,not only is Levy’sStar Warsmovie fully underway, but also, it is the next to be released afterThe Mandalorian and Grogu. InKathleen Kennedy’s retirement update, she explained:
I’m producing theMandalorianmovie right now, and I’m also producing Shawn Levy’s movie, which is after that.
This is a truly surprising update even among a sea of several other surprising revelations, as many had expected it to be Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order, that would followThe Mandalorian and GroguinStar Wars’release schedule.
Simon Kinberg’s Upcoming Star Wars Trilogy Is “The Next Iteration, The New Saga”
It Seems The Skywalker Saga Is Indeed Over
News of Simon Kinberg’s upcomingStar Warstrilogy has been circulating for some time now, although it was a shock when it was announced.New Jedi Orderhad already gotten considerable attention, and it seemed like the surefire next step in Rey’sStar Warsstory. The rumored title also heavily implied that Rey would be establishing her own Jedi Order. The news that Kinberg’s trilogy would see Rey in an"Obi-Wan Kenobi role"called that into question, however.
Nevertheless,during her interview withDeadline, Kennedy doubled down on the future of Simon Kinberg’s trilogy, revealing that “This is the next iteration, the new saga that moves us into the future.“Not only does this suggest how important this new trilogy is, but also, it confirms that the Skywalker Saga truly is over followingStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It remains to be seen what exactly this new trilogy will entail and which characters audiences know and love may be included.
There Are “Other Developments” In The Mandalorian Era
The Mandalorian And Grogu Is Far From The End
Kathleen Kennedy has also revealed thatmore is coming for the Mandalorian era inStar Wars. Kennedy specifically spoke aboutdevelopments in the New Republic era, explaining that there are"other developments going on in that space.“Kennedy also shared that this is an era the franchise is particularly focused on right now, which isn’t all that surprising.
Not only wereThe Mandalorianseason 1 through 3 andThe Book of Boba Fettboth set in this era, but also,Skeleton CrewandAhsokaseason 1 explored this period of time. GivenThe Mandalorian and Groguwill continue Din Djarin and Grogu’s stories, this movie will be the first feature-length project to depict the New Republic era as well. Likewise,Ahsokaseason 2is just around the corner, offering even more insight into this period of theStar Warstimeline. There is evidently even more to come, as well.
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James Mangold Is Still Working On His Dawn Of The Jedi Script
This Story On The Prime Jedi Is Still Underway
One of the more exciting upcomingStar Warsprojects is James Mangold’s movie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: Dawn of the Jedi.This movie, as the rumored title suggests, is expected to tell the story of the prime Jedi—the very first Jedi inStar Wars. This would truly bring something brand-new toStar Wars, and it is exactly what the franchise needs right now.
Unfortunately, like many movies on this list,Dawn of the Jedihas had very few updates or details released thus far, and its future seemed uncertain. Kennedy has provided a thrilling update on this movie, though.Of Mangold andDawn of the Jedi, Kennedy said,“He’s working on this script right now.“According to Kennedy, Mangold was delayed because of other projects he is working on as well as the awards season, but she is confident the movie will be worth the wait.
Taika Waititi Hasn’t Been Ruled Out, But Is Just Very Busy
This Upcoming Star Wars Movie Remains In Doubt
Taika Waititi’sStar Warsmovie is yet another that was previously announced but hasn’t shown much movement. Waititi, known for projects like the Marvel Cinematic Universe’sThor: Love and Thunderand the TV seriesOur Flag Means Death,would be a fascinating addition to theStar Warsfranchise because of his sense of humor and body of work. Nevertheless, with very few updates, it seemed uncertain whether thisStar Warsmovie would ever come to be.
Of all theStar Warsprojects mentioned in Kennedy’sDeadlineinterview, Waititi’s seemed to be the least certain. Kennedy explained:
“I keep waiting for Taika [Waititi], and he is working with another writer now. He’s so busy. I love him. I think if we ever do get a script from Taika, it’s going to be fantastic. I already saw a first act that I loved, but tying him down, it’s tricky.”
Kennedy’s wording is particularly indicative of the uncertainty still surrounding the movie, as she said"if"they get a script, suggesting there is a possibility one doesn’t come. Evidently, this simply comes down to Waititi’s busy schedule, but hope remains that this movie will be coming down the line at some point.
Kathleen Kennedy Is Surprisingly Silent About Rey’s New Jedi Order Movie
Updates On Rey’s Movie Were Noticeably Absent
The most glaring absence in Kennedy’s interview was any mention ofNew Jedi Orderor Rey’s future inStar Wars. Kennedy addressed a whole host of questions currently lingering in the franchise and even provided updates that few saw coming, such as details about Waititi’s progress. One would expect thatNew Jedi Order, which has gotten so much attention in the last two years, would have been front of mind as well. This suggests thatKennedy may have been intentionally avoiding discussing the movie.
If that’s the case, there are a number of possible explanations. Perhaps Lucasfilm is still working out precisely what they want the new movie to entail, which would mean withholding any updates for now. It’s also possible thatNew Jedi Orderis in the works and they are holding off until Star Wars Celebration for some major reveals. Unfortunately, it’s also possible that Rey’s movie is on hiatus or may even be on the chopping block.
At present, one can only speculate about the future of Rey and her upcoming movie. It’s certainly odd and has raised some eyebrows that it was absent from this thorough interview, during which Kennedy revealed so much about what is coming inStar Wars. Nevertheless, this entirely unexpected interview with Kathleen Kennedy has answered several burningStar Warsquestions.
