Earlier this week we learned that Lucasfilm/Disney will not be releasing a second season of The Acolyte although several important storylines and character arcs remained unresolved at the end of the first season finale.
The decision was received with a mixture of indifference and disappointment, but it is very clear that many star Wars Fans – and some of the actors involved in the series – were surprised by this development.
Showrunner Leslye Headland had hoped to continue her story set in the High Republic era, and until recently the studio was rumored to be planning a second season.
So what happened?
Despite speculation that the negative reaction of many star Wars Fans contributed to the decision, Jeff Sneider (above SFFGAzette.com) reports that The Acolyte was canceled because the series simply did not have enough viewers.
“Insiders explain that The Acolyte was canceled due to poor ratings and that it really had nothing more to do with it, although at least one cast member said they were surprised by the decision. I’m told that The Acolyte’s ratings plummeted after the first two episodes, while Andor’s ratings steadily increased throughout the season, so the series was renewed for season 2. Andor also received exceptional reviews, while The Acolyte’s reviews were more mixed.
Like all shows, The Acolyte went through an extensive annotation process, but ultimately it was exactly the show Headland wanted to make.”
Sneider also commented on a recent rumor that Keanu Reeves was originally slated for a role in the series, and believes that he was actually Headland’s first choice for the role of Jedi Master Sol. Apparently a scheduling conflict prevented him from signing on and the role went to Squid Game with Lee Jung-jae as the star.
However, don’t be surprised if we see Reeves take a trip to the galaxy far, far away at some point, as “Lucasfilm remains very interested in the actor, whose interest has been noted internally.”
In conclusion, Sneider claims that the persistent rumors about Kathleen Kennedy’s exit are mere rumors and that the Lucasfilm boss’s job is “safe at least until the second quarter of next year.”
How do you feel The Acolyte‘s cancellation? Leave us a comment below.
In The Acolyte, a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) faces off against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg) as he investigates a shocking series of crimes. As more clues emerge, they head down a dark path where sinister forces reveal that all is not as it seems.
The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Leslye Headland created the series based on star Wars by George Lucas and serves as executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGraté and Kor Adana are co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are producers.
Headland also directed the premiere episodes (episodes 101 and 102). Directors Kogonada (episodes 103 and 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (episodes 104 and 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (episodes 106 and 108) complete the series’ directing credits.
“I really wanted to tell a story about the Sith,” Headland tells EW in a recent interview. “That was kind of my dream Star Wars idea. But I felt like the right time to do it would be before ‘The Phantom Menace.’ That seemed to be the most interesting development for the Sith: How did the Sith go from the Rule of Two and their ‘extinction’ to Palpatine’s rise to power without the Jedi knowing about it?”
Award-winning composer Michael Abels, known for his work on Exit and we achieved The Acolyte.
