Back in August, we got word that Lucasfilm/Disney would not be moving forward with a second season of The Acolyte despite several major storylines and character arcs being left unresolved by the end of the season 1 finale.
The decision was met with a mixture of indifference and disappointment, but it's very clear that a lot of Star Wars fans - and some of the actors involved with the show - were surprised by this development.
Despite some rumors to the contrary, reliable reports suggest that The Acolyte was cancelled because it didn't get enough viewers, plain and simple. However, it's difficult to disregard the possibility that negative backlash did influence the studio's decision to at least some extent.
While speaking to Vanity Fair about season 2 of Squid Game, star Lee Jung-jae reflected on the negativity the show received from certain fans, with some cast members being subjected to racist, homophobic and misogynistic abuse online.
“My feelings were hurt,” he admitted. “Especially for Leslye Headland—her feelings must have hurt a lot. I can only have faith that racism will end someday, even though it’s going to be hard.”
Lee added that he is optimistic that viewers will revisit The Acolyte down the line. “For some work, it takes time to gain traction, and I have strong hopes that people will like it as time passes."
In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what 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 an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGraté and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.
Headland also directed the premiere episodes (Eps. 101 & 102). Directors Kogonada (Eps. 103 & 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (Eps. 104 & 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 106 & 108) round out the directing duties on the series.
"I really wanted to tell a story about the Sith," Headland told EW in a recent interview. "That was kind of my dream Star Wars idea. But it felt like the time period to do that in would be something pre-Phantom Menace. That seemed to be the most interesting trajectory for the Sith: How did the Sith go from the Rule of Two and being quote-unquote 'extinct' to Palpatine coming into power without the Jedi knowing about it?"
Award-winning composer Michael Abels, known for his work on Get Out and Us, scored The Acolyte.