Strange things are happening with The Acolyte and its development in the United Kingdom. While we don’t believe the series is cancelled, continuation for a second season could already be out the window a year before release.
Is trouble afoot for the television production of Star Wars: The Acolyte? The government of the UK has made public notice to Lucasfilm that the Walt Disney Company entity needs to respond immediately, or it might result in severe consequences for the Leslye Headland-helmed production.
As That Park Place has covered in the past, when Hollywood studios begin the work process on a new television or film production, they create what is known as a “production entity” in order to facilitate legal entity accounting and take on any financing that will occur during the course of creating said television show or film.
Usually these entities receive vague or subtle names to keep away from the prying eyes of the public, who can be desperate to know more about their favorite upcoming superhero films like Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania (aka Pym Productions II in the eyes of the UK government).
Due to a lawsuit filed by former Acolyte producer Karyn McCarthy, we know that the production entities for the show are Blue Stockings LLC in the United States, and Blue Stockings (UK) Ltd in the United Kingdom. As we’ve covered in the past, UK entities are required to list the cost of their productions publicly in order to be eligible for UK tax credits. This is how we’ve been able to determine the exorbitant amount of money that Lucasfilm and Disney have spent trying to revive the failing Star Wars franchise.
This is also how we’ve been able to determine that Disney corporate legal is heavily involved in the set up and regulatory compliance of these production entities, which are wholly owned by Lucasfilm, itself wholly owned by the Walt Disney Company. Even for a Lucasfilm entity, the directors of record for both Blue Stockings entities are an overwhelming majority sourced from Walt Disney Company corporate legal, not Lucasfilm, or Kathleen Kennedy and Headland herself as some have speculated.
During the course of updating our own files on The Acolyte, I came across an unusual regulatory notice from the UK government regarding an issue with Blue Stockings (UK) Ltd.
Two weeks ago, Companies House, the United Kingdom business registration authority issued a First Gazette bulletin informing the creditors of Blue Stockings that “unless cause is shown to the contrary” that the UK entity for the Acolyte would be dissolved and struck from the register, and all assets held by the company will become property of “the Crown.” Interestingly, this marks at least the second time in recent memory that King Charles III has become a topic of conversation regarding the Walt Disney Company.
Blue Stockings has until the middle of July to become compliant with UK law or The Acolyte will belong to the UK government.
Star Wars: The Acolyte has reportedly wrapped production, keeping it on target for a release in 2024. https://t.co/7mDYajojVE
— Screen Rant (@screenrant) June 5, 2023
Previous filings showed that Blue Stockings UK extended its accounting period earlier this year, most likely to allow for all production costs to be consolidated into a single filing for a uniform application of the productions UK tax credits. Our records from that time indicate the account was already listed as out of compliance.
Ever since December of last year, the Acolyte has been plagued on social media by rumors that the show was a “fake production” or was stalled in development. Since then, set photos have leaked, a sizzle reel has been shown at the massive Star Wars Celebration fan convention, and Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed to investors that he has seen part of the show and gave his stamp of approval, also adding that the show will premiere on Disney+ in 2024.
In May, noted Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Company critic Kamran Pasha stated that his source, Sparrow had confirmed that Bob Iger was even questioning the amount of capital being used on the Acolyte and wondered if they should continue to “throw money away” on The Acolyte. Pasha has repeatedly said that The Acolyte is a “scam.”
According to a UK tax professional, First Gazette notices are often triggered due to filing compliance issues. By that logic, any debts assumed by Blue Stockings UK would then become debts of Lucasfilm while jeopardizing the tax credits that the production might receive.
Several websites have spoken out saying that their sources have confirmed that the Acolyte completed first and second unit production before the WGA writer’s strike. While That Park Place cannot confirm other website’s sources, this is consistent with our own source that confirmed to WDW Pro that post-production SFX and CGI is currently being done on the Acolyte. Pro has reached out to sources with Lucasfilm who assure the post-production is indeed on the way.
However, with the production already done but the shell company potentially on the way to dissolution, has Disney already decided to abandon The Acolyte after one season? Or is this just a major accounting issue that Lucasfilm should quickly resolve.
For all the latest news that should be fun, keep reading That Park Place! As always, drop a comment down below.
With all the strange shenanigans going on it sounds to me like Pasha might have a proper take on this Acolyte business. It wouldn’t surprise me if they all-of-a-sudden announce the Acolyte as a tax write off and subsequently never sees the light of day.
All of this. ☝️
This whole show itself is likely fiction. What money are they going to make this with? Disney is bleeding from multiple orifices. McCarthy’s lawsuit has teeth not because they didn’t want her, but because they likely just couldn’t afford her.
The UK is my hero. Seizing Star Wars assets is the best way forward
So which came came first:
1) The Acolyte’s announcement production finally wrapped (on re-shoots, presumably), or,
2) Companies House’s First Gazette bulletin: declaring LF address marooned production assets still on-site?
Because this almost certainly sounds like Disney Legal — FIRST became aware or — was alerted of the UK public announcement; Only then deciding to authorize The Acolyte’s production wrap (…in non-press release or word-of-mouth relay?; if only to get ahead what might be plainly obvious: Pasha’s been right all along).
Jonas, are you saying the timing is mere coincidental, not unusual, or up to us to decipher?
Also, what of recent Lucasfilm non-budgeting revelation(s) in author/critic Maureen Ryan’s ‘Burn It Down’?
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“Before Emma took the job, a friend in Hollywood told her that Lucasfilm didn’t particularly care about going over budget. Emma was gobsmacked by her friend’s observation, given the penny-pinching ways of her previous employers. “But I saw it up close—that it doesn’t matter how many mistakes are made or how incompetent some people are,” she said. “Our budget doubled, and I’m sure it went up after I left. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
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Excerpt From: ‘Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood’ by Maureen Ryan