Dave Filoni, one of the key creatives behindStar Warsfor the last decade and a half, has been handed a major promotion at Lucasfilm. Filoni is now an Executive Creative Director at the company, which seemingly means he will have a larger role in shaping the future of the franchise. This is something many fans have been hoping would happen for some time as Filoni has proved time and time again that he knows this universe perhaps better than anyone, save for George Lucas.
While much of the specifics, in terms of what this promotion means, remain unclear, Lucasfilm’s official website has updated Dave Filoni’s profile with the title of Executive Creative Director, to go along with his Executive Producer title. John Knoll and Doug Chiang also hold that title within the studio’s ranks.Kathleen Kennedy remains on board as President of the company. It is worth noting that, on the company’s official website, the only people listed before Filoni are Kennedy, Lynwen Brennan (Executive Vice President & General Manager) and Momita SenGupta (Executive Vice President, Physical Production).
Dave Filonioriginally joined the Lucasfilm ranks in 2005. He was hand-selected by George Lucas, the man who created Star Wars, to help build the company’s animation studio. Out of that came Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While the show had a rocky start, it quickly became one of the most beloved productions in the history of the franchise, with the final season airing on Disney+ last year. He followed upThe Clone Warswith the much-belovedStar Wars Rebels, which ran for four seasons, and was also behindStar Wars Resistance.
But Dave Filoni has spread his wings in recent years and has begun to make his mark, in a big way, in live-action as well.Alongside Jon Favreau(Iron Man, The Lion King) Filoni serves as a producer, writer and director onThe Mandalorian. Debuting in 2019 along with the launch of Disney+, the live-action series has proved to be an enormous hit. Season 3 is expected to begin filming soon and will likely be released next year.
Filoni isnow working on The Book of Boba Fett, a spin-off that is slated to arrive in December. Additionally, Filoni is the creator and producer ofStar Wars: The Bad Batch, an animated series that takes place after the events ofThe Clone Wars. Several other Mandalorian spin-offs, such asAhsokaandRangers of the New Republicare in development as well. It’s likely Filoni will have a big hand in those shows too.
This is a move that makes a great deal of sense. Dave Filoni has had a big hand in so much of the belovedStar Warsstuff that has come out since Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012. While he has yet to make his mark on the movies, with projects such asRogue Squadrongearing up, as well as Taika Waititi’s mysteryStar Warsmovie, there is plenty of opportunity for Filoni to have input on that side as well. Especially given this promotion. This news comes to us viaLucasfilm.com.
