Renew or Remove ‘The Acolyte’? 57,000 Fans Support a Renewal, While 518 Signed a Petition to De-canonize It

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As a lifelong Star Wars fan who has witnessed the highs and lows of this iconic franchise, I find myself deeply saddened by the cancellation of ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’. It was a show that held promise for a fresh perspective on the galaxy far, far away, and it’s disheartening to see it cut short.

‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ has been making headlines lately, but unfortunately not in a good way. After releasing eight episodes, the series got axed, leaving Lucasfilm and Disney tight-lipped about the exact reasons. However, rumors suggest that the cancellation was due to the show’s high production costs and poor viewership numbers.

Before it even aired and got cancelled, the series sparked much debate due to its contentious nature. Since it faced numerous issues, its termination didn’t shock a lot of people.

Even Amandla Stenberg, who played both characters Osha and Mae, seemed unphased by the series’ termination, attributing it to the “prevalent bigotry, hostility, and animosity” towards it.

‘The Acolyte’ illustrated that negligence can result in a series being cancelled, yet it also underscored a substantial fanbase eager to back the show, notably through the social movement it ignited.

Immediately following the announcement of its termination, supporters initiated a campaign on Change.org to revive the series, and currently, more than 57,000 people have added their names to the petition.

Historically, fan campaigns have managed to get other productions greenlit by various production companies. Yet, it’s extremely rare that Disney would part ways with an intellectual property (IP). An alternate route would be for fans to fund the show themselves, but given a budget of approximately $180 million, even a colossal crowdfunding endeavor appears highly unlikely.

In simpler terms, it seems that ‘The Acolyte’ may not be easily renewed by the studio due to Disney’s current financial difficulties across its franchises. Persuading them to spend more on unprofitable ventures could prove challenging. CEO Bob Iger has already mentioned a decrease in Marvel Cinematic Universe productions, and the upcoming Star Wars release schedule suggests fewer projects are being planned.

Gathering a greater number of signatures on the petition to revive ‘The Acolyte’ increases its odds, although it still has a low probability.

Contrastingly, an effort to revoke the canonical status of ‘The Acolyte’ is underway on Change.org, but it has garnered only 518 signatures at present. This implies that although the show may not have stirred intense disdain, it also seems to lack the ability to spark substantial enthusiasm.

It seems highly improbable that Disney will invalidate ‘The Acolyte’ in the Star Wars universe, as it maintains strong connections without directly tying into the prequel trilogy. Any inconsistencies with ‘The Phantom Menace,’ regarding the absence of Sith Lord Qimir’s witnesses, can be attributed to the passage of time and limited surviving testimonies.

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but feel a pang of regret at the thought of de-canonizing the show. After all, Qimir has been an impressive and memorable addition to the franchise for me. If the studio ever decides to revisit the High Republic era again, I’d be thrilled to see more of Qimir—and who knows, maybe even a glimpse into the story of Darth Plagueis as well!

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2024-08-29 14:14