Though it’s been a strange stretch for Star Wars projects in terms of recognition and overall success (Andor excluded), The Acolyte remains one of the more unusual entries in this era of the franchise. Not only was the show set many of years before most other Star Wars shows and films (a setting that has only been explored in other mediums and the extended universe), but the series received a public and rather unceremonious cancellation. While hardly an unusual move in the grand scheme of television, The Acolyte became the first Star Wars series to receive an early and public cancellation notice.
Yet, The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland says she wasn’t really that shocked by the decision.
“I was not surprised by it,” said Headland in an interview with The Wrap. “I think I was surprised at the swiftness of it and the publicness of it. I was surprised by how it was handled. But once I was getting particular phone calls about the reaction and the criticism and the viewership, I felt like ‘OK, the writing’s on the wall for sure.’”
Regarding the show’s ratings, Headland says that the exact numbers were a bit “muddled” but that she came to understand The Acolyte was being compared to the success of other Star Wars properties as well as other shows airing at the same time. So while the series popped up on the ratings charts a few times and seemed to be gaining some momentum in that respect, it just never seemed to be quite enough.
As for the reactions and criticisms, Headland says that she knew the series was going to be a big risk in several ways and that “any gripes creatively with the show are completely valid.” However, she did suggest that the criticisms of the show started to take on a life of their own at some point and seemed to largely exist to fuel the creator economy.
“I also was like, ‘I know who these guys are.’ You don’t have to tell me who’s talking about it or how bad it is online, I know exactly who they are,” says Headland regarding Star Wars’ content creator community. “I supported them on Patreon. There are some of them that I respect, and there are some of them that I think are absolutely snake oil salesmen, just opportunists. Then, of course, there are the fascists and racists. So it runs the gamut.”
Headland goes on to elaborate on the ways she respects those content creators while also expressing some concerns about their influence and power. She even goes so far as to say that they may not only determine the future of Star Wars as a franchise but become bigger than the actual Star Wars films and series.
“It made me start to think, rather than these fans are toxic, or this thing is being mean to me, it made me think more that the content being made about Star Wars will ultimately be more culturally impactful than the actual Star Wars,” Headland suggests. “I believe we’re headed into that space. Those IPs will continue to make money, but I don’t know how much they will affect the next generation as much as the content that is being created around those events, IP films and television shows.”
That’s a fascinating, if slightly worrying, observation from a creator who knows just how difficult it can be to carve a new path through the Star Wars franchise. The Acolyte certainly had some issues, but it was also a collection of fascinating concepts that were met with disproportionately vitriolic reactions. It is now also one of those shows that could have perhaps grown into something more interesting but will never get the chance to do so.
