Inside The Magic: Both The Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm are set to replace their CEOS in 2026. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over three years since Bob Iger made a surprise return as CEO of Disney. Since starting his second stint, reports have emerged that Iger long had a contentious relationship with his successor, Bob Chapek, with other executives feeling like Iger would steer Disney away from the downward turn taken during the latter’s brief rule.

Whether or not that’s come to pass is up for debate. The Walt Disney Company has experienced a series of blows in recent years, from a decline in domestic theme park attendance at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, to mass Disney+ cancellations in the wake of suspending TV host Jimmy Kimmel following pressure from a federal regulator. Lucasfilm hasn’t fared much better.

Over five years on from the disappointing release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), the studio has faced a slew of negative critical and audience responses to its Disney+ projects (The Acolyte, in particular, proved particularly divisive).

It’s also hit a brick wall on several planned movies. Fans were furious to discover in late 2025 that Disney had axed a planned return for Ben Solo (Adam Driver), while Daisy Ridley’s reprisal of Rey in a standalone film that would see her rebuild the Jedi Order appears to face setback after setback.

Many fans have pinned these issues on Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

Having led the studio since Disney’s purchase in 2012, some have used Kennedy – fairly or not – as a scapegoat for the issues they perceive in the sequel trilogy. A portion of the fandom has attributed the increase in “woke” Star Wars projects to Kennedy, particularly in the wake of comments she made about how female fans struggle within the franchise’s male-dominated fanbase.