The #RenewTheAcolyte campaign continues to gain momentum by the day. Less than a week since Disney made the controversial decision to cancel Leslye Headland’s High Republic-set series, the original Change.org petition has already passed 50,000 signees as word continues to spread about the efforts to save the show. It’s an emphatic show of support from fans, especially when considering only just over 700 people had signed within the first 24 hours. Moreover, the movement only continues to grow as more outlets express criticism for the House of Mouse and defend what is arguably the most unique show in the Star Wars canon.
The Acolyte fans aren’t relying solely on Change.org to make their voices heard, as social media has been alight with support for the show over the last week. Mimicking successful campaigns of the past like the original Quantum Leap or the rebooted One Day at a Time at Netflix, a massive letter-writing initiative is underway with nearly 1,000 already supplied to more directly show Disney the impact of canceling the show. For anyone who wants to contribute to the cause, a hub is already set up encouraging more signatures, letters, social media buzz, and feedback on the official Disney+ site to get the company’s attention.
Set in the final days of the High Republic, The Acolyte stands out from Star Wars’s past projects in the eyes of fans for the period it presents, the murder mystery storyline it follows, and the diverse cast it features. By all measures, it pushed boundaries for what has typically been featured in a galaxy far, far away, embracing the darker side of the Force and even giving viewers a chance to see things from the Sith perspective. The cancelation not only caught fans off guard but the stars too, as Lee Jung-jae and Manny Jacinto have both spoken out about the disheartening move despite some strong viewership numbers and reviews.
Fan Campaigns Have Saved Series From Cancelization in the Past
While success in these situations is rare, it’s far from impossible and another sci-fi juggernaut has proven that time and again. Fans of Star Trek have, on multiple occasions, shown the power of a coordinated fan campaign. The Original Series was rescued from the brink back in the 1960s after Trekkies coordinated to keep the show on the air, even getting support from sci-fi writers like Harlan Ellison. More recently, fan action on social media managed to reverse Paramount+’s decision to cancel the beloved animated series Star Trek: Prodigy and secure it for a second season on Netflix. Even though its future is now once again in question, getting major studios to reverse course even once is no small feat. Disney may not be as easily moved, but a continued, strong reaction, coupled with a lot of viewing hours to show how popular The Acolyte is, still has the potential to pay off, even if it’s unlikely.
If The Acolyte does get a miraculous reversal, it has plenty to build on with a second season. The finale saw Osha (Amandla Stenberg) finally embrace the Dark Side and kill her master, setting her on an ominous path as she further explores her relationship with Qimir (Jacinto). Wherever she heads next is up in the air, especially after it was revealed that her twin sister Mae (also Stenberg) was not just a sister, but the other half of a Force dyad. Add in the teases of a young Yoda and the mysterious Darth Plagueis, and it’s clear that Headland had plenty of threads to pull at before the show met its end.
All episodes of The Acolyte Season 1 are streaming now on Disney+. Check out the Change.org petition and the #RenewTheAcolyte page to get involved in saving one of Star Wars’ most unique shows.