It’s only been a day since Disney canceled its latest Star Wars series, The Acolyte, but fans are already quickly mobilizing support for the polarizing show. Over at Change.org, a petition was created by a fan named Blue Smith to save Leslye Headland’s High Republic-set series, and, in just 24 hours, it blew up with over 700 signatures. While the poor reception from some viewers, along with more malicious review-bombing, was evident throughout the show’s run, the swift and proactive reaction from fans shows a dedicated fanbase that was eager to see what Headland and company were ultimately cooking.
For all of its faults, The Acolyte was praised by Smith and other fans for fielding an inclusive cast of characters as it explored a much earlier era that has been left relatively untouched on-screen. Amandla Stenberg leads the series as conflicted twin sisters Osha and Mae, with Lee Jung-jae making his first English-language appearance as the Jedi Master Sol alongside Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, and more. Former The Good Place and Top Gun: Maverick star Manny Jacinto especially became a fan-favorite as The Stranger/Qimir, who brought sexy back to Star Wars. Expectations were sky-high for how the series would portray the end of the High Republic era and show how such a pivotal time paved the way for the future events most viewers know.
The petition and many of its signees pointed to the lack of diverse leads in entertainment as a whole, but especially throughout the Star Wars canon as to why The Acolyte felt like a breath of fresh air. A new era opened an opportunity for a wildly different story from what fans are used to with characters that similarly stand out against icons like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. It offered a tense mystery as Sol investigates a string of vicious crimes that lead him back to his old Padawan and send him down a rabbit hole plagued by sinister forces looking for a chance to strike. On top of everything, that concept still managed to draw a respectable viewer base each week while also becoming Disney+’s most-watched premiere of 2024 with 4.8 million viewers in 24 hours.
Petitions Have Saved Other Series in the Past
Disney+ has high standards for viewership for its highest-profile and most expensive series, but there was still plenty of love for The Acolyte online as evident by the shows of support for a second season on social media against all the hatred. Reviews also paint a rosier picture, at least among critics. In her 8/10 review, Collider’s Maggie Lovitt was among those heralding the series as a worthwhile expansion of the Star Wars universe carried by its strong, diverse cast. Between Osha’s final decision and the brief appearance of the mysterious Darth Plagueis, Headland had a lot of big plans to work with if she was given the chance to explore them further.
While a reversal seems unlikely, fan backlash has successfully saved shows before. Netflix’s beloved Warrior Nun is one such example. After being axed two seasons in, an overwhelming reaction spurred the streamer to revive the series, albeit with a trilogy of films instead of a third run of episodes. There’s always at least some hope, however slight it may be, if fans show their support for the show.