Lucasfilm has decided not to move forward with a second season of “The Acolyte,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
This decision comes more than a month after the first season, which consisted of eight episodes, concluded its run on Disney+.
The Leslye Headland-created show earned respectable reviews from critics but was panned by audiences, receiving only 18 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The show was review-bombed by some who perceived it as “woke,” targeting Headland, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and the series’ diverse group of actors.
“Honestly, I feel sad that people would think that if something were gay, that that would be bad,” Headland told THR in June. “It makes me feel sad that a bunch of people on the internet would somehow dismantle what I consider to be the most important piece of art that I’ve ever made.”
In a surprising turn of events, Disney+ has announced the cancellation of its Star Wars series, “The Acolyte,” after just one season.
The decision comes despite the show’s initial promise and a strong start.
According to DEADLINE, “The Acolyte” premiered on June 4 with two episodes, attracting 4.8 million views on its first day, making it the most successful series debut on Disney+ this year.
The show’s popularity continued to rise, amassing 11.1 million views globally within five days.
Additionally, it entered Nielsen’s Top 10 originals chart at No. 7 during its premiere week with 488 million minutes viewed and climbed to No. 6 the following week.
Despite its initial success, “The Acolyte” faced challenges in sustaining its viewership. By the third week, it had fallen out of the Top 10 and only reappeared at No. 10 following the finale, which recorded 335 million minutes viewed—the lowest for a Star Wars series finale.
Disney+ sets high viewership standards for renewing its high-budget series, and with production costs exceeding $100 million per season, “The Acolyte” did not meet these criteria.
Despite the cancellation, Star Wars fans have plenty to look forward to. Upcoming projects include “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” and the highly anticipated second season of “Andor.”
