Lucasfilm cancels “The Acolyte” after one season despite strong start on Disney+

Lucasfilm has decided not to continue with a second season of “The Acolyte,” the Star Wars spin-off starring Amandla Stenberg, according to Deadline exclusive report. This decision comes more than a month after the first season, consisting of eight episodes, concluded its run on Disney+.

The news isn’t entirely unexpected. While The Acolyte received a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and performed decently with critics, it left Star Wars fans divided, which was evident in its overall viewership.

The series, created, directed, and produced by Leslye Headland, initially showed promise. When it premiered on 4th June with two episodes, The Acolyte drew 4.8 million views on its first day, making it Disney+’s biggest series premiere of the year. This figure grew to 11.1 million views globally within five days. Additionally, the series debuted at No. 7 on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals chart during its first week, climbing to No. 6 the following week.

However, The Acolyte struggled to maintain its momentum. It dropped out of the Top 10 by Week 3, only reappearing at No. 10 after the finale, which drew 335 million minutes viewed—a figure believed to be the lowest for a Star Wars series finale.

With a production budget exceeding $100 million per season, Disney+—like other major streaming platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video—sets a high bar for renewing expensive, high-profile series. Despite this, Headland had expressed her enthusiasm for continuing the story, revealing in interviews that she had pitched ideas for a second season.

The Acolyte was a mystery-thriller set in the final days of the High Republic era, delving into shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers. The plot followed a former Padawan who reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, only to discover that the forces they face are far more sinister than expected. Alongside Stenberg, the series featured a star-studded cast including Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Carrie-Anne Moss.

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