Star Wars’ Kathleen Kennedy on retirement, Shawn Levy’s movie, & Simon Kinberg’s trilogy

By Dan Girolamo Published February 28, 2025

Kathleen Kennedy is setting the record straight about her alleged retirement from Star Wars and Lucasfilm.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Kennedy informed her associates of her plans to retire from Lucasfilm by the end of 2025. Days later, Kennedy spoke with Deadline to shoot down those retirement rumors and clarify her future plans.

“The truth is, and I want to just say loud and clear, I am not retiring,” Kennedy said. “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 mentioned that the announcement of her succession plan at Lucasfilm should come within months to a year.

With a succession plan in place, Kennedy will now focus on producing Star Wars movies. First up for Kennedy is The Mandalorian & Grogu, which arrives on May 22, 2026. After Mando, Kennedy will produce a Star Wars movie from Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy. Jonathan Tropper will pen the script, and Ryan Gosling is in negotiations to star.

Kennedy revealed key details about Levy’s movie, including that it will take place post-Skywalker Saga “maybe five or six years out.” Kennedy also mentioned it will feature new characters while leaving the door open for familiar faces from previous movies.

“It’s all pretty much new characters,” Kennedy said about Levy’s movie. “We may bring some of the characters back from the sequel saga, but pretty much new characters.”

Levy is not the only filmmaker working on a Star Wars project. In November, Lucasfilm hired Simon Kinberg to write and produce a new trilogy. Kinberg’s movies are the “next iteration,” meaning the next saga will advance the Star Wars timeline past the sequel trilogy.

We’re absolutely rolling fast and furiously,” Kennedy revealed about Kinberg’s trilogy. “That has gone exceptionally well, and he’s literally going to script as we speak. We’ll see something probably around June.”

Both Levy’s movie and Kinberg’s trilogy are undated.