The Acolyte will not be returning for a second season, as confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter. Lucasfilm has decided not to proceed with the Disney+ Star Wars series after it concluded its first season last month.
Despite receiving decent reviews from critics, the series faced significant backlash from audiences, achieving only an 18 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Some viewers criticized the show for being “woke,” targeting creator Leslye Headland and the series’ diverse cast, which includes LGBTQ+ representation.
Headland expressed her disappointment over the negative perceptions, stating, “Honestly, I feel sad that people would think that if something were gay, that that would be bad.” She shared her feelings on the internet backlash, describing it as a dismantling of what she views as her most important artistic work.
In response to the racist backlash, star Amandla Stenberg even released an original song on social media. A source commented on the impact of this controversy on the show’s cancellation, stating, “It was an easy target, and it hurt the public perception of the show.”
Set around 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, the series featured Stenberg as twin sisters Osha and Mae, who are separated in childhood. Osha is a former Padawan of a respected Jedi Master, while Mae gravitates toward the Dark Side.
Alongside Stenberg, the cast included Lee Jung-jae, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Jodie-Turner Smith, Carrie-Anne Moss, Manny Jacinto, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and others.
The season concluded with intriguing storylines, including potential hints of a return for the beloved character Yoda. Manny Jacinto’s character, The Stranger, garnered attention and is set to have a life-size helmet created by Hasbro. However, viewership figures did not meet the necessary threshold for a second season, according to sources. The shifting landscape of streaming habits and the diminishing goodwill toward the Star Wars franchise may have also played a role in the decision.