'The Acolyte' Won't Be Returning for a Second Season

Unfortunately, it seems that the newest Star Wars show was not a hit with fans. Though The Acolyte attempted to tell another new story set in the galaxy far far away, it ultimately was one of the least-watched spinoff shows in the sprawling franchise.

Starring Lee Jung-jae and Amandla Stenberg (among others), the show follows the cast's investigation into a recent crime spree, pitting a Jedi Master and someone from his past against each other as the mystery unravels.

Despite the show's creator, director, executive producer, and showrunner Leslye Headland hoping for a renewal of the title, it seems Disney and Lucasfilms has decided not to move forward with another season of the show. Why did The Acolyte get canceled? Here's what we know.

Disney and Lucasfilms have not officially released an announcement as to the company's decision, nor has Leslye made an official comment on the matter. That said, it's low ratings likely contributed to the streaming giant's decision not to renew the title.

Though the show's first tow episodes brought in 4.8 million views in its first day on Disney+, per Deadline, the program struggled to maintain the fan appeal standard that Disney and Lucasfilms has for its Star Wars programs.

The Acolyte failed to remain in the streaming platform's Top 10 as new episodes dropped, only reentering when the finale aired. Even then, it was still one of the lowest-watched finales for a Star Wars series, likely making it difficult for Disney and Lucasfilms to justify the lofty production cost.

Disney is also notoriously strict about its renewal process, and rarely decides to continue to fund certain shows if they don't sustain viewers' interest.

The Acolyte was the most recent in a string of shows based in the world of Star Wars, with The Mandalorian continuing to out-perform all of the subsequent titles. Season 3 of the popular Disney+ show aired in 2023, and the title is expected to return for a fourth season as Disney prepares for the feature crossover with The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Ashoka, another new series set in the Star Wars universe, has also been greenlit for a second season.

Unfortunately, it was pretty clear that The Acolyte was preparing to continue its story in a subsequent season, as the Season 1 finale left viewers with some unanswered questions. For starters, Osha's anger at Sol's admittance that he killed Mother Aniseya led to the Jedi's death and Osha's decision to join the Dark Side. She then agrees to be trained by Qimir in return for freeing Mae, though it seems we'll never know how her acolyte training goes.

Mae, Osha's sister, also had her memory erased to protect Osha and Qimir from the Jedi, turning herself in to the Vernestra. The finale also ended with Vernestra making a visit to Master Yoda, bringing the well-loved character into the fold of the show -- but that's where his involvement ends, unfortunately.

Though there won't be a new season, fans of The Acolyte can still stream the entire season on Disney+.