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Credit: LucasfilmDisney and Lucasfilm are facing increasing criticism and scrutiny from fans after canceling Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte and seemingly preparing for its removal from Disney+.
The Acolyte‘s journey was never going to be easy. Upon its initial announcement as a “female-centric” Star Wars show, the toxic side of the fandom was awoken like the Terminator, ready to seek and destroy any attempt to make the galaxy far, far away a more diverse and inclusive place.
Despite being completely fictional, so-called “fans” of the franchise were quick to tear down The Acolyte. Thanks to a significant review-bombing campaign, the show eventually became the worst-rated Star Wars project in history.
During that review-bombing, The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland questioned whether anyone still acknowledged ratings in the digital age, where thoughts and opinions (and vitriol) can be made by anyone, anywhere.
Following the season finale of The Acolyte Season 1, “The Acolyte,” fans of the show took to social media, where #RenewTheAcolyte became a top trend on X (formerly Twitter).
The effort would not be enough to save The Acolyte, and Lucasfilm ultimately canceled the show, leaving the stories of Osha and Mae (both played by Amandla Stenberg), Qimir (Manny Jacinto), and Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) unanswered.
Prior to its cancelation, Jacinto, who rose to international recognition on NBC’s The Good Place, said he was disappointed with the negativity surrounding the show but hoped that like George Lucas’s prequel trilogy–which is having a renaissance at the moment–would eventually become a beloved fraction of the galaxy far, far away.
That now seems more unlikely than ever. Following the cancellation news, merchandise was stripped from the Disney Store online, spurring even more discussion on the show’s entire erasure. That now seems to be rectified, but the relationship between Lucasfilm and the fans won’t be anytime soon.
Many of the cast have spoken about the cancellation. including Lee Jung-jae (Jesi Master Sol)–who reportedly took the Star Wars role over the likes of Keanu Reeves–and Rebecca Henderson (Rwoh), with Jacinto and Stenberg sharing their heartbreak.
The former posted a photo of him (as Qimir) and Stenberg’s Osha Aniseya silhouetted against a sunset sky with a heart emoji, while the latter took to Instagram stories to comment on the “rampage of vitriol” The Acolyte received before it even being filmed and released.
Stenberg, who uses both she/her and they/them pronouns, said that the backlash was “hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudiced hatred and hateful language” directed at the cast, which includes Black and Asian actors as well as members of the LGBTQIAP+ community, such as Vernestra actress Rebecca Henderson, who is married to the show’s creator, Leslye Headland.
Forbes, which gleaned data from entertainment insider Jeff Schneider, reported the alleged true reason for the show’s cancellation.
“It was canceled due to low viewership,” the report reads. “This is likely to push back against the idea that this was done to placate ‘toxic fans’ who review bombed the show and made an industry out of videos complaining about it.”
Regardless of the reason, fans now fear the worst—that The Acolyte will be deleted from Disney+, as Disney has done before.
Lucasfilm’s Willow TV Series Removed From Disney+
Lucasfilm’s Willow series on Disney+ revisits the magical world first introduced in the 1988 fantasy classic, bringing Warwick Davis back as the beloved Willow Ufgood. Set decades after the original film, the show follows a fresh group of adventurers on a quest to save their world from looming darkness.
Alongside Willow, viewers meet new characters like Kit, a headstrong princess, and Dove, an unassuming maid with a hidden destiny. Jon Kasdan helms this modern continuation, blending epic battles, heartfelt moments, and whimsical humor, all while expanding the fantastical universe.
Related: Disney Ditches Completed Series Before It Can Ever Be Seen
Premiering in November 2022, the series aimed to recapture the charm and adventure of the original Willow while offering updated storytelling for a new generation.
With Lucasfilm’s signature high production values and a nostalgic return to familiar landscapes, Willow struck a balance between lighthearted fantasy and darker, more complex themes. Despite the promise of more magic and mystery, the show faced mixed reviews regarding pacing and character arcs, ultimately leading to its cancellation after just one season.
Willow was completely scrubbed from Disney+ during The Walt Disney Company’s widespread effort to reduce costs following Bob Iger’s return as Chief Executive Officer in November 2022. The now-notorious content purge occurred in mid-2023, with the House of Mouse banishing dozens of Original Series and other media from Disney+ and Hulu.
At the time, former Chief Finacial Officer Christine McCarthy–yes, that Christine McCarthy–said: “We are in the process of reviewing the content on our [Direct-To-Consumer] services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation,” (via Deadline).
The cull of Willow obviously did not go down well with those connected to the project.
“They gave us six months,” writer John Bickerstaff said (via Collider). “Not even. This business has become absolutely cruel….Before you say tax-write-off, these shows have already been released, so can’t be a write-off. And in the case of Willow, they own the property outright. The only conclusion is that this is to get out of paying residuals.”
And now fans fear that The Acolyte, with all its controversy and toxic discourse, could also go by the way of Willow and become lost in the galaxy forever.
Will Disney Remove The Acolyte From Disney+?
Even with its inherent connection to the greater franchise–what with its reveal of Darth Plagueis, continuation of the company’s beloved High Republic tie-in media, and additions to Force lore–and obvious setup for a second season, many fans fear that The Acolyte will soon become lost media.
But why would Disney remove Leslye Headland’s show when it’s all been said and done? Money, of course. Like traditional TV networks would continue paying creatives while the shows air, streaming services have to do the same.
“The first cost is the continuing compensation payments to the cast and crew, known as residuals,” Forbes wrote. “Under the collective bargaining agreements reached between the studios and the guilds in 2020, the amount of residuals paid by the studio on each show was a function of how many subscribers were on the streaming service.”
That means that, regardless of viewership, Disney will have to continue paying the cast and crew of The Acolyte based on the streaming service’s approximately 153.6 million subscribers and not the number of people tuning into the embattled Star Wars show.
As Forbes wrote about Disney’s rival, Netflix: “Higher residual rates in the new deal that the Writers Guild of America [(WGA)] just negotiated will probably accelerate streamers’ decisions to drop shows. The guild told its members that Netflix’s residual payouts for certain shows ‘will increase from the current $18,684 for a one-hour episode to $32,830.'”
With Lucasfilm’s Willow now completely under the lost media umbrella because there is nowhere online where the show can be watched legally (nor is it available to purchase in a physical media format), fans fear that The Acolyte—which, according to reports, got canceled due to low viewership—will go by the way of Willow—that is, left out cold in the Outer Rim.
Related: Confirmed: The ‘Star Wars’ Show That Riled Traditionalists Will Be Replaced in December
As Forbes also wrote in a separate report, the removal of The Acolyte from Disney+ would be “an utter PR disaster.” Fans are already infuriated that the show has been canceled in what seems to be an effort to curb the toxic spread of hate, and its removal will only further dent the respect Lucasfilm and Disney have left.
All eight episodes of The Acolyte can now be watched on Disney+. The show also stars Carrie-Ann Moss as Jedi Master Indara, Joonas Suotamo as Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca, Dafne Keen as Jecki Lon, Charlie Barnett as Yord Fandar, Dean-Charles Chapman as Torbin, and Jodie Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya. Oh, and don’t forget Derek Arnold as that Jedi everything was fuming about…
How do you feel about The Acolyte being cancelled by Lucasfilm? Do you think the show will be removed from Disney+? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!