Lots of reports have been swirling in recent weeks that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy will be stepping down from the studio in the relatively near future, leaving room for the new studio head to make some big swings. A new president could greenlight some of the projects that have stagnated in development over the years — or even some brand-new titles that weren’t under serious consideration before. The changes may not be too radical, but we should expect to see the difference with the changing of the guard. Read on for the top five Star Wars projects we want the new Lucasfilm president to greenlight whenever Kennedy decides to retire.
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Last week, Puck News reported that Kennedy was planning to retire in the near future, though she has since refuted that story. In an interview with Deadline, Kennedy said, “I am not retiring. I will never retire from movies. I will die making movies.” At the same time, she acknowledged that she won’t always be the president of Lucasfilm. She intends to give up that role at some point but to continue as a film producer.
Many reports speculate that Kennedy will pass on the presidency sooner rather than later, with the live-action TV narrative that started in The Mandalorian heading to a climax. We don’t know for sure, but we do know of many great Star Wars projects that are in limbo at the time of this writing. A new president might want to dust these ideas off and push them along, kickstarting their tenure at the helm.
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At the time of this writing, two Star Wars movies have already been ordered under Kennedy — The Mandalorian & Grogu, which is in post-production and is slated for release in May of 2026, and the untitled “New Jedi Order” film, which is in pre-production. There’s also the untitled “New Republic” film in development by Dave Filoni, which hasn’t officially been ordered but seems the most likely to move forward. With that in mind, read on for five projects we’d like to see the new president of Lucasfilm greenlight whenever they take over.
The Acolyte Season 2
Disney boasted some impressive viewership metrics for The Acolyte when it premiered last year, which made it all the more shocking when the show was cancelled. There were reports of a sharp decline in viewership as the season went on, but many fans felt that the social media commentary got too much consideration in this decision. The Acolyte got some rave reviews for taking a daring new approach to the Force with its story, but naturally, that led to some backlash from fans who felt it disturbed the existing canonical material.
Reviving The Acolyte would be a great move for a new Lucasfilm president, especially if they take over within the next year or two, as some are speculating. It would prove their interest in exploring the esoteric side of Star Wars and expanding the lore, and would endear them to legions of Acolyte fans. The cost of making some commenters unhappy seems relatively low, since Star Wars will have to introduce new Force-users one way or another.
James Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi” Movie
One of the “in development” projects we’ve heard the most about in recent years is a distant prequel movie set in the “Dawn of the Jedi” era of the Star Wars timeline. This would be directed and co-written by Logan director James Mangold, along with screenwriter Beau Willimon. We haven’t gotten an update on this plan since April of 2024, but if work is already underway, a new Lucasfilm president could give it the greenlight to kickstart their tenure.
The Dawn of the Jedi is a mysterious time in the distant past of Star Wars, before the Old Republic. This places it at least four centuries before Star Wars: A New Hope, but perhaps far more. In the old Legends timeline, the Old Republic began 5,000 years before Star Wars: A New Hope, and the Dawn of the Jedi is listed as over 25,000 years back in time. Even in the Legends timeline, we never saw much of this mythical era, so Mangold’s movie is expected to be comprised of original material.
Live-Action Old Republic-era Project
Speaking of distant prequels, fans have long hoped for a live-action movie or TV show set in the Old Republic era of the Star Wars timeline. This was the setting of the beloved video games Knights of the Old Republic, which introduced fans to some unforgettable characters as well as the structure of the Jedi Order and Sith of that time. This is a great way to tell a story with more Force-users at the forefront without disturbing the balance as we understand it in the present timeline.
There have never been any concrete plans for an Old Republic-era production, and in fact, even the writer of the video games has argued against this idea, feeling that games were the best venue for the story as it is. However, with Star Wars ignoring its Legends timeline under Disney, it needs a way to please fans and expand its lore at the same time.
Rian Johnson Trilogy
Nothing will really heal the rift in the fandom left by the sequel trilogy, but reviving the proposed projects by filmmaker Rian Johnson might help salve the wound. After Johnson wrote and directed Star Wars: The Last Jedi, he was hired to write and direct an entire spin-off trilogy. As recently as spring of 2023, Kennedy confirmed that the project is still on the table, though it is not a priority for either Johnson or Lucasfilm.
A changing of the guard is the perfect time to bring this project back and give Johnson a chance to flesh out some of the ideas he was toying with in The Last Jedi. The movie side of Star Wars clearly needs a jump start, and plotting an entire trilogy under one filmmaker would be a great way to show commitment. Johnson’s take on the Force might even play better if separated from the baggage of the Skywalker Saga.
Taika Waititi Film
Finally, the long-standing plans for a Star Wars movie by director Taika Waititi should be a high priority for anyone taking over Lucasfilm. The franchise needs to attract creative talent, and Waititi has become a brand unto himself who is sure to give fans faith. Waititi signed on to direct and co-write a Star Wars movie with Krysty Wilson-Cairns in May of 2020, and in April of 2023 we heard that the project is still on. We still don’t know what the movie is about, but it seems like an easy win for a new studio president to take over.
Star Wars is at a mysterious stage right now, and there are likely things in the works that we aren’t even aware of as the studios preserve the element of surprise. Whatever comes next, a change in creative oversight is a great opportunity to hit the accelerator. In the meantime, Star Wars movies and TV shows are streaming now on Disney+.
What Star Wars projects do you think a new Lucasfilm president should focus on? Let us know in the comments below!
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