The Star Wars universe just can’t seem to win lately. Perhaps the greatest example of modern Lucasfilm’s shortcomings can be found in the story of The Acolyte, the controversial Star Wars High Republic Disney Plus series by Harvey Weinstein’s former personal assistant Leslye Headland.
The series was canceled after a single season, but one of its stars let slip that Headland had ambitious plans for her creation that included three whole seasons and a movie.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: Leslye Headland attends the launch event for Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars series The Acolyte at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
READ: Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Alan Bergman Confesses: ‘The Acolyte’ Was a Financial Disaster
Recently, Manny Jacinto, known for his role as Qimir in The Acolyte, shed light on Headland’s original vision for the show during a panel at Fan Expo.
“I remember Leslye’s dream was for us to do three seasons, not just this one…,” Jacinto said. “But there’s something about having a finite ending to things that makes it so much more special. So, yeah, I don’t know if I’d do it or not, but you know, three seasons and a movie would have been incredible, and I know we had so much more to explore with that second season.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: Manny Jacinto attends the launch event for Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars series The Acolyte at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Headland’s creative direction aimed to delve deeper into the Star Wars lore, with Jacinto hinting at significant plot developments that remained unexplored due to the show’s cancellation.
Specifically, he addressed the brief appearance of Darth Plagueis in the final episode, suggesting potential connections and future storylines that could have been explored in subsequent seasons.
“We definitely wanted to explore it,” Jacinto continued. “There was definitely going to be more of Plagueis in the second, or if not, the third seasons of the show. But I just can’t say, because, you know, we could come back. I don’t want to spoil anything, or give anybody any false hope, but I would just say there was a lot more to explore, for sure.”
(L-R): Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and the Stranger (Manny Jacinto) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©.
READ: ‘The Acolyte’ Returns in Marvel’s Star Wars Comics, Fans of the Show Claim it’s Not Enough
Despite Headland’s ambitious plans, The Acolyte faced significant financial and viewership challenges. The series reportedly cost upwards of $230 million to produce, a figure that likely exceeded a quarter billion dollars when marketing expenses were included.
These substantial costs were not matched by viewership numbers, which fell significantly short of expectations. Season finale viewership was recorded at 41% below that of Ahsoka and 50% lower than Andor, both of which were already considered commercial disappointments within the Star Wars franchise.
Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
In the wake of the cancellation, cast members voiced their frustrations, attributing the show’s demise to factors beyond financial constraints.
Jodie Turner-Smith, who portrayed Mother Aniseya, criticized Disney for what she described as a lack of support against racist backlash.
“[Disney’s] got to stop doing this thing where they don’t say anything when people are getting f****** dog-piled on the internet with racism and b*******,” she stated. Turner-Smith emphasized a need for Disney to take a stand, suggesting that doing so could leverage the significant buying power of people of color to influence the company’s stance on social issues.
Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Of course, Disney does have a history of standing behind its actors, specifically in the Star Wars franchise, when perceived racism occurs. An entire movement rose up around actress Moses Ingram in the lead-up to the release of Obi Wan Kenobi over reports of “racist backlash” against the black actress.
But Turner-Smith seems to have a history of trouble accurately recalling the past when it comes to Star Wars. She famously cited a lack of female leaders in the Star Wars universe, referring to it as “patriarchal” when interviewed at Star Wars Celebration prior to the release of The Acolyte.
(L-R): Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Little Osha (Lauren Brady) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Many believed Turner-Smith made a valid point…as long as one overlooks Princess Leia, Padme Amidala, Mon Mothma, Hera Syndulla, Admiral Holdo, and just about every other leader from the Star Wars universe who isn’t named Yoda or Palpatine.
Similarly, Amandla Stenberg, the “star” of The Acolyte known for playing two characters with one facial expression, blamed the show’s cancellation on vitriol and hyper-conservative backlash from certain segments of the fanbase.
(L-R): Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) and Qimir (Manny Jacinto) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
“Of course, I live in the bubble of my own reality but for those who aren’t aware there has been a rampage of vitriol that we have faced since the show was even announced, when it was still just a concept and no one had even seen it,” Stenberg explained.
Contrasting the cast’s perspectives, Disney Entertainment co-chair Alan Bergman provided a blunt explanation for the cancellation of The Acolyte.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: (L-R) Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, Leslye Headland and Asad Ayaz, Chief Brand Officer, The Walt Disney Company and President, Marketing, The Walt Disney Studios and Disney attend the launch event for Lucasfilm’s new Star Wars series The Acolyte at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on May 23, 2024. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
In an interview with Vulture, Bergman addressed the financial impracticality of continuing the series.
“We were happy with our performance, but it wasn’t where we needed it to be given the cost structure of that title, quite frankly, to go and make a season two,” Bergman stated.
What do you think? Will The Acolyte get a second season written by Leslye Headland? Are you curious about what Leslye Headland had in store for Darth Plagueis? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!
The first season proved that the Force is male by having the Force be used to impregnate. I wonder what other things they’ll have in other seasons. Will they show everyone that Rey is a Sith and a Palpatine?
I hope they do just so they lose hundreds of millions more producing a show and a movie nobody cares about. But even Iger and Kennedy seem to realize The Wokolyte is a lost cause.
Hahahahahahahahahah
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
One or two more single-season terrible TV shows might actually force Disney to sell off Marvel or Star Wars. Or hopefully both. It’s almost too bad there will be no more Acolyte.
Leslie headland took star wars to harvey weinstein private motel room and r4p3d it.
🤣 Shure this wasn’t starwars it was Disney starwars there’s a difference.