When Disney canceled The Acolyte last year, it sparked a wave of reactions amongst its community and cast. Some were surprised, some weren’t, and creator Leslye Headland? Somewhat fittingly, she was split right down the middle.
In a recent interview with TheWrap, Headland acknowledged being more surprised by the show’s end being so public. Generally, Disney doesn’t explicitly mention if a Star Wars show is canceled—just look at The Book of Boba Fett or Obi-Wan being left to trail off to their stars wistfully hoping for more—but Acolyte getting canned very much was. Even so, Hedland admitted she knew “the writing was on the wall” upon getting various phone calls.
Speaking to its viewership numbers, she called them “muddled.” It may have been Disney+’s second most-viewed show of 2024, but it was also being judged simultaneously against other TV shows and other Star Wars series. As for audience reactions, she knew going in it’d be a “major risk,” given it was set during the High Republic and couldn’t just lean on the original and prequel trilogies. Headland further said she’s got “no regrets” or qualms with anyone who felt The Acolyte was lacking in some way—but she did acknowledge the show didn’t always get a fair shake, particularly from those just ready to hate it, similar to what star Amandla Stenberg said back in 2024.
“If you’re in part of the fandom, you understand the genre and tone of particular channels,” said Headland. “You don’t have to tell me who’s talking about it or how bad it is online, I know exactly who they are. Some of them I respect, and there are some I think are absolutely snake oil salesmen, just opportunists. Then, of course, there are the fascists and racists. It isn’t just one thing or the other.”
In a way, Headland considers The Acolyte a learning experience about fandom, specifically how “the content being made about Star Wars will ultimately be more culturally impactful than actual Star Wars.” Instead of IP mattering to the next generation of fans, it’ll be the content made about said IP, something we’re already seeing with the rise of fan works and communities with themed celebrations around a particular character or pairing.
Even with all that, Hedland still wished The Acolyte, a show taking some big swings in its first season, had been found by “the audience it was meant for.” She’s got no qualms about the show being a one-and-done, just the way things went down.
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