Fiction
Star Wars chief Kathleen Kennedy steps down after 14 years
CALIFORNIA: After nearly 14 years steering one of Hollywood’s most valuable storytelling engines, Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down as president of Lucasfilm and returning to full-time producing, marking the end of an era and the start of a carefully choreographed succession at the Star Wars studio.
The Walt Disney Studios said Dave Filoni will assume creative control as president and chief creative officer of Lucasfilm, while long-time executive Lynwen Brennan becomes co-president, overseeing business and operations. Both will report to Alan Bergman, Disney Entertainment co-chairman.
“When we acquired Lucasfilm more than a decade ago, we knew we were bringing into the Disney family not only one of the most beloved and enduring storytelling universes ever created, but also a team of extraordinary talent led by a visionary filmmaker who had been handpicked by George Lucas himself,” said Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive officer. “We’re deeply grateful for Kathleen Kennedy’s leadership, her vision, and her stewardship of such an iconic studio and brand.”
Kennedy will remain embedded in Lucasfilm’s future, producing upcoming theatrical releases including The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter, slated for release in 2026 and 2027.
“Kathleen Kennedy has been a tremendous force in the industry for 50 years, and it’s been our privilege to have her here at Disney leading Lucasfilm for nearly 14 of them,” said Bergman. “She has steered Star Wars to incredible box office heights and brought a new generation of fans into the fold. We appreciate having her on board to produce our next couple of films, and the studio remains in extraordinarily capable hands with Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan.”
Taking the creative reins is Filoni, widely regarded as the heir to George Lucas’s narrative legacy. He joined Lucasfilm in 2005, helped build its animation arm and became a central architect of modern Star Wars through The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
“My love of storytelling was shaped by the films of Kathleen Kennedy and George Lucas,” said Filoni. “From Rey to Grogu, Kathy has overseen the greatest expansion in Star Wars storytelling onscreen that we have ever seen. I am incredibly grateful to Kathy, George, Bob Iger, and Alan Bergman for their trust and the opportunity to lead Lucasfilm in this new role. May the Force be with you.”
Brennan, a Lucasfilm veteran since 1999, rose through Industrial Light & Magic before becoming one of the studio’s most influential operational leaders. She was named president and general manager of Lucasfilm business in 2024.
“Lucasfilm has played such a meaningful part in my life,” said Brennan. “It’s a community of inspiring storytellers with a rebel spirit like no other. I am honored to join Dave Filoni in leading us forward and have unwavering faith in his creative vision for the next chapter.”
Kennedy, who took charge in 2012 following Lucas’s retirement, presided over a commercial and creative reboot. She oversaw Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which shattered box-office records, as well as Rogue One, later spawning the Emmy-winning Andor. Under her watch, Star Wars expanded decisively into streaming, with The Mandalorian leading Disney+’s early rise.
“When George Lucas asked me to take over Lucasfilm upon his retirement, I couldn’t have imagined what lay ahead,” said Kennedy. “It has been a true privilege to spend more than a decade working alongside the extraordinary talent at Lucasfilm. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together and excited to continue developing films and television with both longtime collaborators and fresh voices.”
Beyond Lucasfilm, Kennedy’s career reads like a history of modern Hollywood. As co-founder of Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall, she produced E.T., Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Schindler’s List and dozens more. Her films have earned over 120 Oscar nominations and 25 wins.
Now, with Filoni shaping the canon, Brennan running the engine and Kennedy still producing at full throttle, Disney is betting Star Wars can change captains without losing its way, proof that in this galaxy, succession planning matters almost as much as the Force.
Fiction
Banijay merges with All3Media in $6.65 billion deal
Marco Bassetti will lead the combined company as CEO
PARIS: Six years after acquiring Endemol Shine at the height of the pandemic, Banijay has struck again. The European production heavyweight is merging with All3Media in a deal that will create a television titan with $6.65 billion in revenue and redraw the contours of a fast-consolidating market.
The combined company will trade under the Banijay name and be owned 50 per cent each by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, which acquired All3Media in 2024. The transaction is expected to close by autumn, subject to regulatory approvals.
Banijay Entertainment CEO Marco Bassetti, will take the top job at the enlarged group. All3Media CEO Jane Turton becomes deputy CEO. RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker will serve as chairman.
The logic is scale. Broadcasters are commissioning less, streamers are tightening budgets and global buyers are fewer but bigger. Against that backdrop, heft matters. The merged entity will generate roughly $6.65 billion in revenues based on 2024 figures, giving it sharper elbows in rights negotiations and deeper pockets for franchise-building.
“Entrepreneurialism, ambition and creativity” remain core to Banijay’s DNA, Bassetti said, flagging plans to invest more heavily in new intellectual property, live events and emerging platforms. Turton struck a similarly bullish note, pointing to All3Media’s journey from a 2003 start-up to a global supplier of hit formats and high-end drama.
Between them, the two groups control a formidable slate. Banijay’s catalogue spans MasterChef, Big Brother, Survivor, Black Mirror, Peaky Blinders and Deal or No Deal. All3Media’s labels include Studio Lambert, producer of The Traitors and Squid Game: The Challenge; Two Brothers, behind The Tourist; and Neal Street, currently producing the forthcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sam Mendes for Sony.
The back catalogue is equally muscular. Banijay Rights holds some 220,000 hours, while All3Media International adds around 35,000 hours, forming one of the industry’s largest libraries.
Banijay, controlled by French entrepreneur Stéphane Courbit and listed in Amsterdam, counts more than 130 production companies across 25 territories. All3Media operates over 40 labels, with strong positions in the UK, US and Germany. The enlarged group will also lean into live entertainment, building on Banijay’s Balich Wonder Studio, which produced the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and the Independents.
The deal marks a shift in tone. As recently as October, Bassetti suggested that mergers and acquisitions were not a priority. But the drumbeat of consolidation has grown louder. Mediawan has moved for Peter Chernin’s North Road. David Ellison’s Paramount has agreed to a $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros, with plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount plus. ITV has explored selling its media and entertainment arm to Comcast-owned Sky, though talks have reportedly slowed.
