The Last Jedi is arguably Star Wars’ most polarising project, but The Acolyte definitely occupies second place.
This 2024 Disney Plus series landed to an incredibly mixed response, although perhaps undeservingly so.
The Acolyte differs from many other Star Wars projects, having taken fans to the era of The High Republic which had never before been explored in a live-action setting.
While Yoda appeared in a brief finale cameo, the series introduced us to new characters, including dual leads Mae and Osha portrayed by Amandla Stenberg.
There will, of course, have been some viewers who simply didn’t enjoy what The Acolyte had to offer – and that’s fine.
Disney Plus
Sadly, however, many directed hatred towards Stenberg, abhorrently criticising her for being a biracial, female lead in a franchise as enormous as Star Wars.
Unfortunately, the overblown negativity surrounding the series mixed with average ratings compared to production budget lead to the series’ cancellation after just one season.
Since then, dedicated The Acolyte fans have campaigned hard for Lucasfilm to make a U-turn on their decision – and their hard work might be paying off.
As spotted by CBR, The Acolyte has re-emerged in Disney Plus’ Top 10 TV Shows chart for no apparent reason.
Maul – Shadow Lord Is Generating Renewed Interest In The Acolyte
Two years after it debuted, The Acolyte was recently spotted occupying the ninth position on the list.
This perhaps could be due to the current rollout of Maul – Shadow Lord which occupied the top TV spot and top overall spot on the streaming service yesterday, 22 April.
This doesn’t immediately mean that we should expect The Acolyte to suddenly secure a renewal, but it’s undoubtedly a step in the right direction.
Maul – Shadow Lord is performing incredibly well and if fans of that series are also seeking out The Acolyte, it may be proof that The Acolyte was simply launched at the wrong time amid too much noise and franchise fatigue.
If its following is steadily building, the incentive is there for Lucasfilm and Disney to revisit it.
Heck, I’m sure fans would even settle for a one-off film launched directly on Disney Plus tying up all of the loose threads.
How did Qimir find the Knights of Ren? What happened between Qimir and Vernestra? And for heaven’s sake, please finally tell us the tale of Darth Plagueis The Wise.
The series’ comeback on Disney Plus has rekindled hope in the #RenewTheAcolyte movement on social media.
“It’s not surprising. It was a really good show,” remarked one Twitter/X user.
“That’s because it’s good. Worth the rewatch and deserved a second season,” added another while someone joked, “Somehow, The Acolyte returned.”
Star Wars Celebration isn’t set to return until next year but this summer will see the biannual D23 be held, running from 14 to 16 August.
It’s here that Disney will outline its plans for the next couple of years, so if you want to hear about a shock renewal of The Acolyte, you better keep watching it.
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