Summary
Star Warshas officially canceledThe Acolyte, which throws into question what the future ofStar WarsDisney+ TV shows will look like.The Acolytewas the newest addition toStar Warsmovies and TV shows, and many anticipated that a second season was going to be announced any day now. Although the show was certainly met with considerable backlash, controversy, and even review bombing, many enjoyed the show.
Moreover,The Acolyte’sshowrunner Leslye Headland constantly teased a second season in interviews, and multiple references were made by the franchise itself to ‘The Acolyteseason 1,’ suggesting season 2 was coming. In truth,The Acolytewasn’t commonly considered one ofStar Wars’best TV shows, but it was nevertheless a surprise thatStar Warsconfirmed the show is not returning for a second season.Now, the future ofStar WarsTV shows seems unclear.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 2: Cancelation, Franchise Future, & Everything We Know
Will The Acolyte season 2 happen, and if it does then what’s next for this ultimate Star Wars prequel? Here’s everything we know to date!
Lucasfilm Has Been Reducing Its TV Output
Star Warshas put out some truly brilliant TV shows in recent years. WhileThe Book of Boba Fettwas not largely well-received,The MandalorianandAndorhave both become beloved in the franchise, andAhsokaandObi-Wan Kenobiboth had significant fanfare around them. In fact,AhsokaandObi-Wan Kenobiwere particularly exciting forStar Warsaudiences because they saw the return of Anakin Skywalker actor Hayden Christensen and Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor to theStar Warsscreen.
Nevertheless,Lucasfilm’s TV show output certainly seems to be slowing. This year, the franchise will only release two live-action TV shows:The AcolyteandStar Wars: Skeleton Crew. Clearly,The Acolytewas met with mixed reactions, to say the least. Now,Skeleton Crewis next in line, and it is unclear how the show will perform.TheSkeleton Crewtrailershows some promise, with brand-new characters and a unique coming-of-age storyline featuring a mysterious Jedi, yet some are already voicing their concerns.
Next Year Looks Even Worse For Star Wars' Live-Action Shows
In 2025,Andorseason 2 is the only confirmed live-action TV show release amongStar Wars’upcoming TV shows.Ahsokaseason 2 is also confirmed to be in the works, but its release date is currently unknown. WithThe Acolytenot being renewed for a second season, andThe Mandalorianseason 4 still being a question mark,it isn’t clear what will be coming next forStar Wars’live-action TV shows followingAndorandAhsoka.
In 2025,Andorseason 2 is the only confirmed live-action TV show release.
Presumably, Lucasfilm could have any number of projects in the works, but if there are live-action TV shows that haven’t yet been announced, a 2025 release date seems rather unlikely. If another live-action TV show was going to be released in 2025, it would need to start filming very soon. This may prove particularly problematic forStar Wars’next year, asAndorseason 2 is expected to premiere earlier in the year. This could mean a very quiet 2025 forStar WarsTV shows.
Star Wars Animation Hasn’t Broken Any News Either
Of course, live-action TV shows aren’t the only possibilities forStar Wars’upcoming TV shows. Animated TV shows have proven extremely popular in the franchise;Star Wars: The Clone Wars,Star Wars Rebels, andStar Wars: The Bad Batchhave all been clear proof of that. However, each of those shows is confirmed to have concluded, andStar Warshas not announced another new animated TV show yet.
There are a few new and upcoming animatedStar Warsshows, but they are not exactly the types ofStar Warsshows to draw major attention.Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventuresseason 2 only just recently dropped, although that is targeted to a significantly younger audience.LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxyis also coming next month, but that is a non-canon four-part miniseries that, again, is a far cry from the likes ofRebelsandThe Bad Batch.
Outside those two projects, it is unclear what is coming down the line for animatedStar Warsshows. This is particularly surprising, given the projects that have been anticipated. In fact, withAsajj Ventress' return inThe Bad Batchseason 3came the announcement that Ventress would return in an upcomingStar Warsproject. Because Ventress has only appeared in animation, many assumed that this would mean a new animated TV show—perhaps even one leading Ventress. However, no such announcement has been made thus far.
After D23, We Really Shouldn’t Have So Many Star Wars Questions
FollowingThe Acolyte’sfinale, it was clear thatStar Warswas hitting a bit of a slow period. Again, although smaller releases such asYoung Jedi AdventuresandRebuild the Galaxywere coming, the franchise seemed set to reveal something much more significant, and D23 2024 seemed like the perfect setting for a massive announcement. Shockingly,very littleStar Warsnews was revealed at D23 this year.
The biggestStar Warsreveal at D23 was the first trailer forSkeleton Crew, which had long been expected. In truth, nothing brand-new or all that surprising was announced, which seemed like a massive missed opportunity for the franchise. Unfortunately, this could mean thatStar Warsisn’t sure what it is going to do next, at least with TV shows.
Star Wars Just Missed A Massive D23 Opportunity, & I Can’t Understand Why
D23 2024 concluded without many announcements regarding Star Wars' upcoming movies and TV shows, and I’m still trying to figure out why.
The Mandalorian & Grogumovie and Rey’s newStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order, are confirmed to be coming, and there are a number of otherupcomingStar Warsmoviesthat are anticipated. However, in terms of shows, it really is onlyAndorseason 2 andAhsokaseason 2 at this point.This really could mean that Lucasfilm is considering seriously diminishingStar WarsTV shows, especially live-action TV shows.
Star WarsTV shows have been an incredible addition to the franchise.
While some might be cheeringThe Acolytecancelation, this isn’t good news for the franchise or the fanbase. For one, it’s a bit odd to be thrilled that a franchise is putting out less content. For another,Star WarsTV shows have been an incredible addition to the franchise. Some ofStar Wars’most beloved characters, from Ahsoka to Din Djarin and Grogu, wouldn’t exist withoutStar Warsshows. If Lucasfilm starts to pull back on shows, there will be so many missed opportunities, and newStar Warsreleases will be much fewer and much further between.
Perhaps Lucasfilm does have a number ofStar Warsshows, animated and otherwise, lined up that simply haven’t been announced yet. They could be holding off untilStar WarsCelebration 2025. However, it’s looking more and more likeStar Warsmay be pulling back on live-action TV shows, in which case,The Acolyte’scancelation may just be the tip of the iceberg.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
