Time and time again, there is one very brutal lesson that many learn in Hollywood. If a project flops, never blame the audience. While there have been some cases where biases, misunderstandings, and expectations have led to the initial failure of a series, that is something that happens over time.
Many actors take another route, and if a series or film fails, they talk about who is to blame in the interviews that are supposed to be promoting it. Unfortunately, Kathleen Kennedy went down such a path recently, which may have resulted in an even bigger rift between her and Star Wars fans.
With the release of The Acolyte, the world is stunned by the drastic difference in the critics’ ratings and audience scores of the series. Rather than understanding where they went wrong, Kennedy said some very controversial things that are now coming back to haunt her.
Kathleen Kennedy Had a Theory
Recently, Kathleen Kennedy gave an interview with The Times, where she addressed the recent dip in Star Wars hype. The president of LucasFilm has faced a number of challenges during her time running the company, being famously at odds with a concerning percentage of the fans. During the interview, she may have added to this conflict, as Kennedy seems to have a clear explanation for why so many Star Wars projects are failing.
I think Leslye has struggled a little bit with it. I think a lot of the women who step into ‘Star Wars’ struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal.
Kennedy went on to blame the failure of specific projects on the fact that the fans of the franchise are predominantly male, which makes them aversive towards movies and shows led by female protagonists. This was, perhaps, in reference to The Acolyte, which had not even been released at the time of the interview.
It is safe to say that attacking and accusing an entire sect of her fandom for the shortcomings of the studios and creators was not appreciated by fans in the least.
Fans Are Not Happy With Kathleen Kennedy’s Narrative
The HQ on X put it best, calling out Kathleen Kennedy for scolding and predicting that fans will not like something that hasn’t even been released. They pointed out that the franchise is slowly losing touch with its fans, going further and further away from them thanks to the criticism they receive for poor shows. Kennedy’s words are quite flawed, as not every female-led movie or TV show from Star Wars has failed, with the perfect example being that of Ahsoka.
“How to make a series and properly talk to your fans before it releases.” Lucasfilm [Star Wars] need to take notes from the [Fallout] series, which by the way has a female lead who is very talented. I truly believe Lucasfilm are doing a terrible job right now at talking to fans.
Following the theme of female-led shows, the fan pointed out that the Fallout series is an excellent example of what fans want and how they want to be told to approach a series. This aspect is showcased in the series’ review scores, with critics giving it a 93% and fans giving it an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It is not normal for a series to be at 16% (now 15%) on Rotten Tomatoes like [The Acolyte] currently is and, no, don’t blame it on your own male fanbase. Take responsibility for the comments you made towards your male fanbase before you even gave them a chance to watch your new show.
"How to make a series and properly talk to your fans before it releases." Lucasfilm #StarWars need to take notes from the #Fallout series, which by the way has a female lead who is very talented. I truly believe Lucasfilm are doing a terrible job right now at talking to fans. It… pic.twitter.com/2CwUVnq7nb
— The HQ (@theStarWarsHQ) June 15, 2024
At the same time, The Acolyte has an 84% rating from critics and a 15% rating from fans on Rotten Tomatoes. These numbers are concerningly low, and it is safe to say that fans are worried about where the franchise is going now.
The Acolyte is available for streaming on Disney+.
