Alan Bergman, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, recently sat down with Vulture and revealed that the exact reason why a second season for Star Wars: The Acolyte wasnât greenlit, and why it wonât happen any time soon. Despite solid reviews from critics and strong initial ratings, the viewership declined throughout The Acolyteâs run and was met with a lukewarm response from audiences. According to Bergman, the choice came down to one simple metric, the cost. The executive specifically revealed: âWe were happy with our performance, but it wasnât where we needed it to be given the cost structure of that title, quite frankly, to go and make a season two. So thatâs the reason why we didnât do that.â Despite solid reviews from critics and strong initial ratings, the viewership declined throughout the seriesâ run and was met with a lukewarm response from audiences.
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The Acolyte was very divisive among fans, many of whom took issue with its diverse cast, accusing it of having an overtly progressive political agenda. This controversy prompted many to assume that this was perhaps the reason behind the showâs cancellation. Even with many fans embarking on numerous efforts to save the show from a premature ending â including starting a petition â they were not enough to convince Disney to sign off on another season. As the series cost more $230 million, Disney executives were most likely hoping for a warmer reception among audiences before deciding whether or not to continue the series.
[RELATED: Star Wars: The Acolyte Star Teases More Plagueis Had Series Continued]
Created by Leslye Headland, The Acolyte took place about a century before the events of Star Wars: Episode I â The Phantom Menace. The series chronicled Jedi Master Sol and his former Padawan, Osha Aniseya, investigating the murders of other Jedi Masters. However, the more they delve into the mystery, the more they discover how vulnerable the Jediâs place in the galaxy is as the Dark Side grows in power.
For this series, Headland wanted to question the status quo of the Star Wars universe while also exploring its untold past, telling IGN âWhy would this happen this way? Why did Qui-Gon make the decision that he made? How [did] Darth Sidious become chancellor without Yoda, one of the most powerful Jedi who ever lived, knowing about it? I think that those are questions that were just all still hanging out there. So thatâs where I think you start.â
Before news of the showâs cancellation, Headland had numerous plot ideas for a potential season 2, expressing interest in featuring more characters from the High Republic era of Star Wars canon. Unfortunately, not only was The Acolyte canceled before Headland could develop these concepts further, but it also left fans with several major questions that are unlikely to be answered anytime soon, such as Darth Plagueisâ plan, the Strangerâs Sith name, Mother Korilâs fate, and more.
Despite The Acolyteâs cancellation, Disney has several more shows lined up, including Andor season 2, Ahsoka season 2, and Star Wars: Visions season 3 â if they continue to be popular among fans, will that convince Disney executives to give The Acolyte another shot? Or maybe to address its unresolved plot points in other series?
