Cancellation of Star Wars Series “The Acolyte” Prior to Season 2
The Acolyte, known from Star Wars, has been canceled by Disney+ after a successful first season. The show premiered on June 4 and was well-received by viewers, although it received mixed reviews from critics. According to Deadline, series creator Lesley Headland made the decision to end The Acolyte on Disney+.
Media reports indicate that the show struggled to maintain its momentum. In its first week, The Acolyte garnered around 4.7 million views and topped the ratings. However, after five days, the total views reached 11.1 million, with the series remaining in the top 10 rankings.
Despite a strong start, the show experienced a significant decline in viewership and ratings. The storyline of The Acolyte was set 100 years before the events of Star Wars.
Amandla Stenberg played the lead role in the series as twins Osha and Mae. The twins were separated in childhood and raised differently. While Osha trained under a Jedi master to become a Padawan, Mae was drawn to the dark side.
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The show’s synopsis reads, “A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes but discovers the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
In addition to Stenberg, the series features Lee Jung-jae, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Jodie Turner-Smith, Carrie-Anne Moss, Manny Jacinto, Dean-Charles Chapman and Joonas Suotamo.
In interviews, Headland mentioned having ideas for a potential second season of the series.
Lucasfilm, the production company behind the show, found success with their first Disney+ project, The Mandalorian. Following the series, The Mandalorian & Grogu will transition to a feature film. The company also renewed the second season of Ahsoka, a show that aired before The Acolyte.
The cancellation of The Acolyte is not uncommon, as Prime Video’s My Lady Jane was also canceled before its second season. Experts suggest that streaming platforms may need to reevaluate their models.
The first season of The Acolyte is now available to stream on Disney+.
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