Dave Filoni seems to know exactly what kind of chair he has stepped into at Lucasfilm as he takes over from Kathleen Kennedy as far as all the upcoming Star Wars projects. The fan-favorite writer/producer/director has a lot of decisions to make now that he's in the big seat. On that note, in a recent interview, Filoni explained why he’s down for crazy” Star Wars pitches, and I’m loving his take, which could bode well for the future of the franchise.
During a red carpet interview with Variety at the Holllywood premiere of The Mandalorian and Grogu, Filoni was asked about the craziest Star Wars pitch he has heard since taking over as Lucasfilm co-president. Filoni didn't name a specific idea that had been dropped on his desk. However, his answer explains why the franchise still needs those strange little sparks in the first place. The outlet posted the interview clip to its official X account, and, in it, Filoni can be heard saying:
I couldn’t even say…. I think you want crazy, though, you want imagination. I mean, at the time, when Jon [Favreau] came in and pitched a child of Yoda’s species, that might’ve seemed crazy but, you know, when there’s a Jon Favreau doing it, it could be amazing. So that’s what I really was excited about. You never know. Crazy is opportunity sometimes, so there you go.
That is a pretty strong mission statement from Lucasfilm’s new co-head honcho, who officially moved into the Lucasfilm president and chief creative officer role earlier this year alongside co-president Lynwen Brennan after Kathleen Kennedy stepped down from studio leadership. Kennedy is, however, continuing as a producer and has credits on The Mandalorian, Grogu and the Ryan Gosling-led Star Wars: Starfighter.
One of the prime titles on the 2026 movie schedule, The Mandalorian and Grogu marks the first new theatrical Star Wars movie since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. The film, directed by Favreau and co-written by Favreau, Filoni and Noah Kloor, is set to open May 22, 2026. That creates a strange balancing act for Lucasfilm. The studio has to protect one of the most recognizable brands in film history while also keeping it from feeling shrink-wrapped. Too much caution, and everything starts to feel like a museum exhibit, and too much chaos could make the mythology feel like an intergalactic junk drawer.
Filoni clearly understands that the answer is not to run from oddball ideas, but to find concepts and projects with real heartbeats that fans will resonate with. That is why The Mandalorian worked so well as a streaming series for folks with a Disney+ subscription. It felt like a dusty adventure with a simple emotional hook. We fans got the chance to follow a hardened warrior protecting a child he was supposed to hand over. Now, Filoni is in a prime position to help shape where those instincts go next.
On that note, Kennedy has described the transition as “seamless” as she has spent years mentoring both of them. She has said in past interviews that she spent a decade encouraging the longtime Star Wars creative to move from animation into live action, while Brennan came out of Industrial Light & Magic and served as Kennedy’s general manager.
So this all makes Dave Filoni’s “crazy is opportunity” comment feel less like a fun red carpet line and more like a glimpse at Lucasfilm’s next chapter. He is no longer just the guy who brought us some of the greatest Star Wars series, like The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, or helped make Grogu work. With that, I'm pumped that he's now one of the people deciding which strange ideas get to become Star Wars.
The Mandalorian and Grogu, the next big-screen chapter in the galaxy far, far away, hits theaters May 22, 2026. Check your local listings for showtimes.
