Among the shows ending or canceled in 2024 was Disney+’s The Acolyte, with the latest Star Wars series having run its eight-episode season from June through July. It was set at the end of the High Republic era, and before the events of the Skywalker Saga, but didn't last long enough to make any eventual connections, as. Disney+ surprisingly canceled The Acolyte earlier this month. Now a new Star Wars rumor has emerged that could help explain why the cancellation happened.
Ever since The Acolyte's fate was sealed, fans have been doing whatever it takes to save the Star Wars series, not only for a potential second season, but also to ward off the worry that it might be taken off Disney+ completely in the near future. As disappointing and frustrating as the news was, there seems to be a somewhat reasonable explanation for why the service didn't balk at pulling the plug, even if it doesn’t completely smooth things over.
The InSneider's Jeff Sneider reports (via Screen Rant) that Lucasfilm is “developing several new shows that simply haven’t been announced yet.” Which is to say, the companies involved apparently have more episodic franchise projects in the works, and thus didn't deem it necessary to move forward with a series whose devisiveness outshadowed its viewership.
It's not confirmed, and other recent rumors actually pointed to the notion that zero additional Star Wars series were in development. But it wouldn’t be surprising if under-the-radar projects were in the works. Disney has obviously been in re-evaluation mode with a lot of its original content, for budgetary reasons, and only Ahsoka Season 2 appears to be left on the table aside from the upcoming Star Wars series Skeleton Crew.
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As with any canceled show, it’s always possible The Acolyte could come back in some way, shape, or form. If more Star Wars shows are truly coming in the future, the story and characters could continue on another series. Even Lee Jung-jae is hopeful for the future, despite his character Master Sol being killed by Amandla Stenberg’s Osha in the Season 1 finale. It was clear that more story was meant to follow, making the cancellation even more frustrating.
The good thing is that the Star Wars franchise continues to thrive on both the big and small screen, and the possibility will always exist to continue whatever stories the creators desire. The fact that The Acolyte did set up Season 2 elements could help in the long run, and even if the upcoming shows in question don't address it, that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t happen down the road.
While it is exciting that more Star Wars shows are likely on the way, it is still disappointing that The Acolyte was canceled. Those with a Disney+ subscription can still watch the first and only season.
