The Acolyte is officially not moving forward with Season 2, with Lucasfilm deciding to pull the plug after the show sustained severe backlash from fans. Many blamed the terrible writing while others expressed distaste for the woke themes.
While the cancelation is understandable, one bizarre thing happened recently that immediately alarmed fans. Whether they loved the show or despised it with all their hearts, many expressed concern over Disney’s removal of The Acolyte merch items from their store.
The Acolyte Merch Removal Troubled Star Wars Fans
The Acolyte started as a promising Star Wars project under Leslye Headland’s supervision. The showrunner has previously responded to the criticism of the show, stating that she never incorporated queer content. Moreover, fans weren’t happy with the writing which resulted in their diminishing interest.
With this matter posing a great risk to the franchise, Lucasfilm ultimately dropped any chances of the series getting a second season. It also did not help that they spent a fortune, $180 million to be exact, on a show that would flop critically.
In the midst of the humiliating cancelation, fans noticed that Disney removed all merch items from its online store relating to The Acolyte. Netizens found it bizarre for the studio to pull a move like this, with many expressing worry that the series itself will possibly be removed from the streaming platform sooner or later.
Some also pointed out how Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy is the culprit behind the cancelation of several projects under the Star Wars banner. Check out these tweets below:
The Acolyte getting the axe paints a bad picture on the legacy of Star Wars as well as the fate of its future projects. Lucasfilm had the final say, and if they allowed a show like this to ruin the franchise, what more could happen with the upcoming ones? Perhaps the concern of fans is not directly for The Acolyte, but for Star Wars as a franchise.
Will Disney+ Remove The Acolyte?
While there’s no indication that Disney will remove The Acolyte from its streaming platform at the moment, it’s not an impossible action. They already did that with 2022’s Willow series, a cruel move that the studio justified as a cost-cutting initiative.
Like The Acolyte, it was canceled after one season. It wasn’t entirely hated by fans, but the response was not impressive either. Still, it got deleted from the platform. At this point, it remains to be seen what decision Disney and Lucasfilm will agree on regarding Lee Jung-jae’s show.
The Acolyte is currently streaming on Disney+.
