‘Star Wars’ Is Officially Stepping Away From ‘The Mandalorian’ Universe

Lucasfilm is entering a new phase, and the shift is happening quickly.

Kathleen Kennedy is officially stepping down as president of the studio after more than a decade in the role. Her exit, effective this week, comes as Star Wars undergoes a significant internal reset.

The leadership change arrives as Lucasfilm prepares to return to theaters for the first time since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It also follows several years in which the franchise largely pivoted away from theatrical releases.

During that period, Disney+ became the primary home for new Star Wars storytelling. The approach kept the brand active but produced mixed results, prompting a reassessment of scale, structure, and long-term direction.

Those conversations have now moved from internal debate to visible action.

Lucasfilm Reorganizes After Kennedy’s Exit

Kennedy has led Lucasfilm since 2012, overseeing the Disney-era relaunch of Star Wars and its expansion across film, television, and streaming.

With her departure, Lucasfilm has confirmed a new leadership model. Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan will serve as co-presidents, dividing creative and business responsibilities.

Filoni will oversee creative direction across film and television. His role formalizes years of involvement in shaping Star Wars storytelling, particularly during the franchise’s shift toward serialized narratives.

Brennan, who previously served as Lucasfilm’s general manager, will handle business operations, production oversight, and budgeting.

The dual structure reflects a broader effort by Disney to tighten oversight and reduce creative sprawl following uneven box office and streaming performance across several major brands.

For Lucasfilm, that tightening comes after an extended period without theatrical releases. Multiple announced Star Wars films were delayed, rewritten, or quietly removed from development schedules.

In the absence of new films, television projects filled the gap.

The Franchise Narrows Its Focus

Lucasfilm’s Disney+ era was defined by The Mandalorian, which debuted in 2019 and quickly became the foundation for a broader interconnected timeline.

That timeline, often referred to as the MandoVerse, expanded through series including The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka.

At its peak, the MandoVerse was positioned as a long-term engine for the franchise, with Lucasfilm planning a theatrical crossover film directed by Filoni.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, that project has since been placed “on the back burner.”

The decision reflects a broader pullback. While The Mandalorian initially generated strong enthusiasm, later seasons drew more muted responses, particularly during its third season.

Spin-offs also struggled to replicate the original series’ momentum, raising questions about whether the interconnected model had been stretched too far.

Earlier this year, industry insider Daniel Richtman (via Patreon) reported that Lucasfilm was considering moving away from the MandoVerse for future projects.

That shift now appears underway. Although Jon Favreau previously confirmed that scripts existed for a fourth season of The Mandalorian, those plans appear shelved following the decision to move Din Djarin and Grogu to theaters.

Lucasfilm is set to release The Mandalorian & Grogu this May, marking the franchise’s return to cinemas after nearly six years.

Beyond that release, the MandoVerse footprint shrinks considerably.

At present, Ahsoka Season 2 remains the only confirmed project still set within the same post-Empire timeline.

Other upcoming Star Wars films are positioned elsewhere in the chronology. Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter is said to take place five years after The Rise of Skywalker.

A standalone Rey film remains in development, though it has cycled through several writers. Daisy Ridley has stated the project will be worth the wait, despite its prolonged timeline.

A separate Ben Solo project — The Hunt For Ben Solo — was confirmed by Adam Driver in 2025 before being vetoed by Disney leadership over concerns surrounding the character’s survival.