Is 'Star Wars: The Acolyte' already canceled? Breaking down the rumors

characters in robes stare ominously at one another
(Image credit: Disney+)

The Star Wars fandom is a fidgety one to say the least. Following the divisive reception (despite stellar box office performances) to the sequel trilogy of movies and some ups and downs in the quality of the Disney Plus shows, the conversation surrounding any new live-action Star Wars release is a bit tense, and The Acolyte is now on everyone's mind.

Lucasfilm and Disney have yet to comment on the series' future (creator and writer-director Leslye Headland has season 2 ideas), something that probably won’t happen until the first season, which premieres on June 4, wraps its entire run. 

However, that hasn't stopped some sites and fan communities from looking into its chances. After all, Disney has been cutting down on streaming costs for a while now, looking to refocus around the theatrical experience with big movies such as The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Related: Watch Jedi battle hand-to-hand in new clip for Disney+'s 'The Acolyte' (video)

Is there any truth to rumors of The Acolyte being already canceled?

(Image credit: Disney+)

No, there’s not enough evidence to support those claims, and we likely won’t get an answer for a while. As of late May, The Acolyte hasn’t been canceled.

The original rumor came from That Park Place, who claimed that "an alleged insider at Lucasfilm" straight-up told them a second season won’t happen. The information and facts provided are vague and haven’t been backed by the Hollywood trades, which are always quick to confirm or deny major creative shakeups inside big studios.

A quick look at the site also confirms it has very negative views on how Lucasfilm and the Star Wars brand are being run. While many fans might agree with this sentiment for a variety of very valid reasons, it appears this is just part of a larger movement to shoot down anything coming from the studio before it even releases.

When will The Acolyte be renewed or canceled?

(Image credit: Disney+)

No matter your thoughts on the next Star Wars show (we’ll be sharing ours, positive or negative, every week), Disney and Lucasfilm won’t be making a decision about its light or dark future anytime soon unless it’s a huge hit which takes the world by storm.

For now, we know, thanks to some legal documents and location-related information, that Lucasfilm at least planned to tell a larger story arc. But of course, both the critical reception and audience numbers have to support the idea of going bigger with the first-ever live-action Star Wars story which takes place during the High Republic era.

Right now, the marketing is only ramping up with new spots, clips, and featurettes. You can come back next week to read our review/recap of the first two episodes and discuss whether Star Wars’ latest is a Force-powered win or a midi-chlorian-less misfire. 

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Fran Ruiz

Fran Ruiz is our resident Star Wars guy. His hunger for movies and TV series is only matched by his love for video games. He got a BA of English Studies, focusing on English Literature, from the University of Malaga, in Spain, as well as a Master's Degree in English Studies, Multilingual and Intercultural Communication. On top of writing features and other longform articles for Space.com since 2021, he is a frequent collaborator of VG247 and other gaming sites. He also serves as associate editor over at Star Wars News Net and its sister site, Movie News Net.