The future of The Acolyte, the latest live-action Star Wars series on Disney+, looks bleak as reports suggest that it will not return for a second season. According to Deadline, Disney has decided against renewing Leslye Headland’s series.
The Acolyte launched with strong viewership, attracting 11.1 million views within its first five days on Disney+. However, the series quickly lost momentum, dropping out of Nielsen’s weekly Top 10 by the third week, only to reappear briefly at the tenth spot during its season finale.
Lucasfilm has not yet confirmed these reports but is expected to provide an update soon. The series, which concluded its first season in July, ended with potential for further exploration, leaving fans hopeful for more episodes. Showrunner Leslye Headland previously hinted at having “four or five major mysteries” she wanted to explore in a subsequent season.
Despite the initial strong viewership, the series did not maintain its audience, which could be a factor in the decision not to continue. Additionally, The Acolyte was the least-watched live-action Star Wars series on Disney+, even trailing Andor, according to Nielsen and Luminate Data reports.
The Acolyte is set towards the end of the High Republic era and follows a Jedi investigation, which sparked mixed reactions from both critics and fans. This divisiveness, coupled with the dipping viewer engagement, likely influenced Lucasfilm’s decision against developing a second season. Unlike Andor, which was planned as a 24-episode series and saw viewership increase over time, The Acolyte did not assemble a writers’ room for a second season, suggesting a lack of commitment to its continuation.
The broader Star Wars lineup on Disney+ also appears to be slowing down, with no new shows announced since Skeleton Crew in May 2022. Currently, only Andor and Ahsoka are confirmed to continue, with each receiving additional seasons. Conversely, plans for a fourth season of The Mandalorian have shifted, transitioning from a series to a cinematic release, dependent on the performance of the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu film slated for 22 May 2026.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
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