Why Did Disney Cancel “The Acolyte” After Just One Season?

A Disney executive recently shed some light on the cancellation of the much-hyped “The Acolyte”. The show, which had a successful run in its debut season on Disney+, was surprisingly not renewed for a second season.

During a candid interview with Vulture, Alan Bergman, the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, disclosed that the decision was largely influenced by the production costs associated with the show. Despite being satisfied with the show’s performance, it didn’t hit the mark in terms of profitability, prompting the decision to not proceed with a second season.

Bergman stated, “We were content with our performance, but it wasn’t up to par given the cost structure of that title, quite frankly, to go and create a season two. So that’s the main reason behind our decision.”

The news of the cancellation was met with mixed reactions, with the lead of “Acolyte”, Amandla Stenberg, taking to Instagram to share her thoughts. Unfazed by the decision, she revealed an 8-and-a-half-minute video, expressing her lack of surprise at Disney’s decision, given the backlash the show received for its female-centric storyline and queer undertones.

Stenberg stated, “It’s not a huge shock for me. Ever since the series was announced in 2020, we started experiencing a barrage of, I would say, hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudice, hatred, and hateful language directed at us.”

Despite the cancellation of “The Acolyte”, Disney has a host of other shows in the pipeline. Bergman was particularly enthusiastic about the upcoming “Skeleton Crew.” The show, starring Jude Law, has already been well-received by critics and is expected to do well with audiences.

Bergman also hinted at potential second seasons for several Star Wars spin-offs, including “Andor” and “Ahsoka.” While the details were sparse, he assured that the company is dedicated to delivering quality content and that these titles are under serious consideration.

Bergman said, “In terms of what’s on the horizon, we have ‘Andor’ season two, which we’re incredibly excited about. It is fantastic. I’ve watched all the episodes, and it promises to be a great season. We also have ‘Ahsoka’ season two, which is being helmed by Dave Filoni. We’re also exploring a number of additional series that are in the works. We’ll see what we decide to greenlight. As I stated earlier, they have to meet our high standards.”

FAQs

Why did Disney cancel “The Acolyte” after just one season?

The cancellation was largely due to the high production costs associated with the show. Despite the satisfactory performance of the show, it didn’t reach the desired profitability mark to justify a second season.

What was the reaction of “The Acolyte” lead Amandla Stenberg to the cancellation?

Amandla Stenberg was not surprised by the cancellation. She cited the backlash the show received due to its female-centric storyline and queer undertones as a possible reason for Disney’s decision.

What is next for Disney?

Disney has several shows in the pipeline, including “Skeleton Crew” starring Jude Law and potential second seasons for “Andor” and “Ahsoka”.

Credit: variety.com