Star Wars fans rejoice 'go woke go broke' as 'awful' spin-off The Acolyte is AXED amid dismal ratings
The Acolyte CANCELLED: Star Wars fans rejoice the axe of the Disney series
DISNEY
The Acolyte has been cancelled after just one series on Disney+, it's been confirmed.
The eight-part Star Wars spin-off transported viewers towards the end of the High Republic era, a century before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.
Jedi Master Sol (played by Lee Jung-jae) and Osha (Amandla Stenberg) led the drama as the pair descended down mysterious rabbit holes following a series of crimes, unveiling more sinister powers at play.
The Acolyte performed strongly when it launched on June 4 with a double-bill, ranking as the biggest series premiere on Disney+ this year.
But this momentum nosedived following its subsequent weekly releases and only its finale scraped into the US Nielsen ratings according to Deadline.
Controversy has engulfed the show ever since its inception, with some critics accusing the show of identity politics with its diverse cast and plot themes, and others criticising the decision for writer Leslye Headland to helm the project.
Leslye Headland was the showrunner of Star Wars: The Acolyte
GETTY
Openly gay Headland publicly derided the original Star Wars film franchise, branding them "political films" during a 2020 interview.
She also relished and welcomed the idea that she'd created the "gayest Star Wars ever" telling an interviewer: "Frankly... I'm into it."
Headland has also branded white women a "silent killer" for reinforcing "old ideas" and hit back at criticism of The Acolyte's overt LGBTQ+ themes as "reductive".
But it isn't just Headland's involvement and the cast - led by the non-binary Stenberg - that prompted wariness from Star Wars fans but also the contents of the series itself.
The Acolyte: Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae led the cast
DISNEY
In particular, one scene in episode three of the series sparked worldwide debate among the sci-fi franchise's fandom after it revealed the parentage of Osha and her twin sister Mae (also Stenberg).
Instead of revealing a male father, it was implied that two powerful witches belonging to an all-female coven on Brendok used "The Force" to produce their female offspring - twins Osha and Mae.
With so much noise surrounding the series yet such underwhelming viewing figures, it appears Disney has decided to call time on the project despite Headland openly sharing her desire for a second run.
The decision has been seen as cause for celebration for many critics, including one X user who responded to a story about the axe by saying: "Good. Go woke, go broke."
"It was the most predictable train wreck in history. #TheAcolyte Is dead," a second weighed in before a third pointed out: "Well they did say something about wanting to make the Star Wars key demographic ‘uncomfortable’. I guess they achieved their aims."
"I watched 2 episodes. I'm disappointed in the Star Wars franchise releasing this joke! Maybe they should put in under the COMEDY section on Disney+?" a fourth suggested.
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BREAKING: Star Wars: The Acolyte has been cancelled after just one season.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 20, 2024
Who could've seen this coming?pic.twitter.com/iYYyBNKiMY
A fifth echoed: "Wow, it's almost like when you deliberately write something under an IP that is not what the fanbase wants, the property fails, rather than drawing in a whole new fanbase that wanted to see that IP reflect their values."
And a sixth similarly wasn't surprised: "When you take a good story, and break it down to serve a specific cause, or what you think is a noble cause, then people are getting sick and tired of the film, book, painting, or whatever art it was in the first place. We do not stand for moralizing, left or right."
However, there were some Acolyte fans who defended the show and criticised the decision to cancel it.
One fan argued: "Looking back #TheAcolyte wasn’t amazing, but it also wasn’t *anywhere* near as bad as the review bombers made out. It had fantastic fight scenes, great production and was brutally lethal. Certainly lesson to take away from it before the next instalment. I’m a little sad."
And a second similarly commented: "It’s rare a first season of any show is perfect, #TheAcolyte had some problems but it was a fantastic concept in a new era trying out some fresh ideas.
"It had more potential than people allowed. I’m sad we’ll get no more, I’m sad the 'fans' can be so toxic. I’m sad Disney caved." (sic)