The news isn’t entirely surprising. The Acolyte performed well with critics, with a 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, but divided Star Wars fans, which was reflected in its ratings.
The Acolyte got off to a strong start when it debuted on June 4 with two episodes. It generated 4.8 million views in its first day on the streamer, making it the biggest series premiere on Disney+ this year.
Views rose to 11.1 million worldwide after five days of streaming. According to Disney data, the series debuted at No. 7 on the Nielsen Top 10 Originals chart the week of its premiere (488 million minutes watched) and rose to No. 6 the following week.
But The Acolyte couldn’t maintain its momentum, dropping out of the Top 10 in its third week and staying away before returning to No. 10 after the release of its finale (335 million minutes watched, believed to be the lowest for a Star Wars series finale).
Like fellow global streamers Netflix and Prime Video, Disney+ has a high viewership threshold for renewing big-budget series that cost more than $100M per season to make.
Headland has revealed in interviews that she has floated her ideas for a second season and shared her hopes for a renewal.
Lucasfilm’s first — and most successful — Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, is moving forward, making the leap to feature films with the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu. Ahsoka, the series that followed The Acolyte, has been renewed for a second season.
The Acolyte was a mystery-thriller that took viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark forces in the final days of the High Republic. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they face are more sinister than they ever imagined.
In addition to Stenberg, the cast included Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Carrie-Anne Moss.
