‘The Acolyte’ Canceled: No Second Season

Unfortunately, the newest Star Wars show has not been well-received by fans. The Acolyte, which aimed to tell a fresh story within the expansive galaxy, has turned out to be one of the least-watched spinoff shows in the franchise.

This series stars Lee Jung-jae and Amandla Stenberg, among others, and follows the characters’ investigation into a recent crime spree. A Jedi Master and a figure from his past are drawn into a conflict as the mystery unfolds.

Despite the hopes of Leslye Headland, the show’s creator, director, executive producer, and showrunner, for a renewal, it appears that Disney and Lucasfilm have decided against commissioning another season. So what led to the cancellation of The Acolyte? Here’s what we know.

Disney and Lucasfilm have not officially released a statement regarding the cancellation. Leslye Headland also hasn’t commented on it. However, the show’s low ratings likely played a key role in the decision to not renew.

The first two episodes of The Acolyte garnered 4.8 million views on their first day on Disney+, according to Deadline. Despite this initial interest, the show struggled to maintain the standard of fan appeal that Disney and Lucasfilm set for their Star Wars programs.

The series failed to stay within the streaming platform’s Top 10 rankings as new episodes were released. It only re-entered the Top 10 when the finale aired and even then, it was one of the lowest-watched finales of any Star Wars series. These viewership issues likely made it challenging for Disney and Lucasfilm to justify the high production costs.

Disney is also known for its stringent renewal process and rarely invests in shows that don’t hold onto viewer interest.

The Acolyte is one of the latest series set in the Star Wars universe, and it faced stiff competition from other popular titles like The Mandalorian. Season 3 of The Mandalorian aired in 2023 and is expected to return for a fourth season as Disney prepares for a feature crossover with The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Another new series set in the Star Wars universe, Ahsoka, has also been greenlit for a second season.

The ending of The Acolyte left fans with numerous unanswered questions, which were clearly intended to set up a subsequent season. For instance, Osha’s fury at Sol’s revelation that he had killed Mother Aniseya resulted in the Jedi’s death and drove Osha to the Dark Side. She agreed to undergo training with Qimir in exchange for freeing her sister Mae. However, viewers will never know how her training progresses.

Mae, Osha’s sister, had her memory erased to protect Osha and Qimir from the Jedi, and she turned herself in to Vernestra. The finale also featured Vernestra visiting Master Yoda, introducing the beloved character into the fold, but his involvement ended there.

Although there won’t be a new season, fans of The Acolyte can still stream the entire season on Disney+.

Source: Deadline