The Acolyte Got Canceled – Not A Surprise
The Disney+ show will not get a second season after receiving mountains of hate.
Tori Kiolbasa – Staff Writer

The Disney+ show The Acolyte has been canceled after its first season and viewers are arguing over why. The Star Wars show is a prequel series set before the events of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace and follows the Jedi investigating a crime spree. Just a few months after its official release in July of 2024, Disney announced that the show would not be receiving a second season. The widely accepted reason for this decision is due to lack of viewership, although the controversy around the show may also be a contributing factor.
Many fans, and some of the cast themselves, have pointed to the pushback against the diverse cast as the cause of the cancellation. The cast notably included Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae and Charlie Barnett. Stenberg faced media backlash in her leading role in the show, leading to her responding with a song calling out the racism she was facing. Stenberg individually referred to the bigotry of the fans as a factor in the cancellation, although there is no statement from Disney as to it playing into the decision.
The show was also insulted for being “woke” due to this proudly diverse cast. A harassment campaign was led on X to insult the creator, Leslye Headland, by saying her “Lesbian Space Witches” don’t belong in Star Wars. Headland, a proud gay woman, has stated that it was not her intent to make those characters explicitly lesbian. It’s clear that many individuals have refused to watch The Acolyte because of the representation included, even if that wasn’t their intention. This anger from online groups continued into the review bombing of the show on Rotten Tomatoes. Combining these controversies with the lower-than-expected viewership, it’s no wonder The Acolyte didn’t get a second season.
But how could this happen to a Star Wars show? The first Star Wars film came out in 1977, 47 years ago. After 12 movies and The Acolyte making six shows, is it possible that the public is just no longer interested in Star Wars? There will always be diehard Star Wars fans, but pop culture seems to be leaving Star Wars behind. The people who love it will defend it to their core and flock to the internet to vent about how any new form of Star Wars entertainment lives up to their expectations. Star Wars is stuck. They lose viewership if they attempt to modernize, but can’t attract new viewership if they don’t.
The Acolyte is not getting a new season and while the official reason is viewership, it is clear that it is only part of the equation. The lack of audience can be attributed to the controversy surrounding the show, bigotry in response to representation and a very possible decreased interest in the continuation of the Star Wars universe from new viewers. Star Wars media is not going to stop in its tracks. Many more shows, movies and video games will be greenlit. Disney+ won’t let go of the powerhouse that is Star Wars, but The Acolyte just didn’t get the numbers it needed to survive.