The Acolyte has quickly become one of the most controversial Disney Plus Star Wars projects in the entire era, right up there with The Last Jedi. But all the hate and/or support aside, there is a simple question: Will The Acolyte get a season 2?
Ever since the last few excellent episodes I have gone from mixed on the show to a supporter, and no matter what happens in the finale, I’d like to see it continue. But I have to admit that seems exceedingly unlikely based on what we know.
No, it’s not about the show being woke or it being bashed by Star Wars YouTubers and their audiences. Rather, it’s pretty simple: Cost versus viewership.
Estimates of the cost of The Acolyte put it at $180 million for what are effectively eight, thirty minute episodes. That’s an absolutely wild amount of money for a Star Wars thing that is nowhere near theaters, but rather the sixth Disney live-action Star Wars series instead. And while I think the show has a solid aesthetic, no, it does not look like a $180 million production, and you have to wonder where much of that money went.
Then there’s viewership, where if it was a breakout smash hit, it might be worth spending that for another season. But it’s just not there, based on what we know. Disney does not give out official numbers but Nielsen says its premiere was half the viewership of Ahsoka and 75% lower than The Mandalorian. Reportedly, it’s the second-least watched show, also behind The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan. I cannot imagine it surged in popularity from there.
Before you say “well it’s just so bad, that’s why viewership is low,” you should know the least-watched show is Andor, universally praised as one of the best things in Star Wars history, even past the Disney era. It did in fact get a season 2, however, on a reported $250 million budget. Disney might have been okay doing that once given the sky-high reviews and massive praise for it, but The Acolyte certainly doesn’t have that, and no one is saying it’s anywhere close to the quality level of Andor.
They give a few good reasons why it might get a season 2 and I think they are more important than sheer numbers - Leslye Headland does have more story to tell and is going.to.fight hard for this and Disney are all in on the High Republic - the Acolyte may be more recent than the other HR media but it’s placement is key as it bridges that period and the GR, with the opportunity to drop in key building blocks of the.period (we know Yoda is around and there are two actual Sith Lords beavering away in.the background - the unknown planet may be a link.to.the Darth Plagueis books). So I think these reasons are why I’m optimistic.
I’m tired of the building blocks. I like Star Wars when it is not made to shoehorn old elements. I want new lore.