Whelp, that’s that for ”The Acolyte” which has been canceled and won’t return for a second season on Disney+.
Surprising? I’m not sure. The series had more than decent reviews, but those often excitable Star Wars fans felt a way about it. I’m not saying that played a role.
The news, which surfaced in various trade publications and Was reported on by Deadline, has left some fans shocked. Many took to Threads to express their disappointment and protest the decision. See, excitable.
ICYMI, the series created by Leslye Headland, had just one season, and its abrupt cancellation surprised fans, especially since actor Manny Jacinto recently promoted the show at D23.
Get this: According to Deadline, Lucasfilm decided not to proceed with the series, which concluded on a cliffhanger. Ugh, it always hurts when they leave fans hanging like that.
The final episode featured Amandla Stenberg’s character, Osha, turning to the dark side to become the acolyte of Jacinto’s mysterious Sith master.
Stenberg also portrayed Osha’s twin, Mae, who was initially trained by Jacinto’s character before aligning with the Jedi.
So basically, the official reason for the cancellation has not been disclosed.
Look, we want one. Fans deserve one. But we’re probably not getting one, ha.
The show had a dope international cast, including Lee Jung-jae, Jodie Turner-Smith, Margarita Levieva, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Fans praised the series for its racial and gender diversity and its inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters.
The Acolyte was the first Star Wars series led by a woman of color … with Stenberg—a queer woman of color—playing the lead.
And it’s canceled. Interesting.
The show also received acclaim for criticizing the Jedi’s imperialistic views, emphasizing that “absolute power corrupts absolutely,” whether Jedi or Sith. The entire premise isn’t about an evil authoritarian empire that oppresses pretty much everyone in its path.
However, the series faced backlash from racist and sexist viewers, often referred to as “the fandom menace.” That part was a thing. Please believe it.
Maybe viewership vs. production costs played a role. That’s always an issue in streaming content.
Let’s not explain why it got cancelled, but we can infer all day. SMH.