Summary:
- Elon Musk’s criticism, low viewership, and Disney’s struggles fuel cancellation rumors.
- Leslye Headland hasn’t worked on a second season due to exhaustion and lack of confirmation.
- Disney’s earnings report next month could reveal the fate of The Acolyte.
The future of the new Star Wars series, The Acolyte, is shrouded in doubt following criticism from Elon Musk and reportedly low viewership numbers.
Last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took aim at Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy on social media, seemingly criticizing her leadership and its impact on Star Wars projects like The Acolyte.
With Disney+ known for sometimes canceling shows after one season, rumors suggest The Acolyte may not be renewed. This speculation is fueled by the lack of an official announcement regarding season 2 despite the series being halfway through its first season. Showrunner Leslye Headland’s recent comments downplaying a second season further add to the uncertainty.
Early reports indicate that The Acolyte’s viewership falls short of expectations, particularly when compared to the success of another Star Wars series, Ahsoka. Furthermore, the show holds the lowest audience score for any Star Wars project on Rotten Tomatoes.
Headland also admitted she hasn’t worked on The Acolyte Season 2:
I threw everything into season 1, because who knows what’s going to happen? And then I’d say there are four to five major mysteries and plot points that have to get hit in season 2, but until we get a proper pickup, I worry that spending a lot of time in that world — especially being in a period where I’ve worked so long on this project that honestly I’m exhausted by it coming out — to kind of jump right into like, “All right, season 2….” It will probably be more that I know what needs to happen, and I know what the character development needs to be in order to hit the plot points and the character points for a second, third, or fourth season. So I look forward to working on that, but right now, I haven’t.
Disney’s stock price recently dipped, potentially reflecting investor concerns about the company’s streaming strategy and the performance of shows like The Acolyte, which reportedly cost significantly more to produce than Ahsoka.
The Acolyte has also faced criticism from some Star Wars fans. Actress Amandla Stenberg, who stars in the series, recently sparked controversy with a social media post. In response, fans created a parody video.
With Disney set to deliver its Q3 earnings report next month, it remains to be seen if the company will announce a future for The Acolyte or if the series joins the ranks of other Disney+ shows receiving a one-and-done treatment.
