The Acolyte originally aired on Disney Plus between June 4, 2024, and July 16, 2024. Although the series earned a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the fans’ response to it was extremely divided. Earlier this month, Lucasfilm canceled The Acolyte after one season, prompting fans to create an online petition in favor of the continuation of the series.
Star Wars fans petition to renew The Acolyte Season 2 with almost 20,000 signatures
The change.org petition to renew The Acolyte for Season 2 was launched on Tuesday, August 20. As of Friday, it has garnered nearly 20,000 signatures and counting.
According to the petition statement, “The Acolyte opened the doors for so many Star Wars fans, new and old, to feel seen. To feel welcomed and accepted by an IP and fandom that hadn’t previously been so for anyone who didn’t check off certain boxes. Not only that, but The Acolyte became a beacon for representation that many fans have felt was lacking in the Star Wars universe for decades.”
The statement goes on to claim that series creator Leslye Headland as well as the actors who appeared in the show understood the Star Wars Universe and further criticized the alleged review bombing, which apparently happened because the series was perceived as “woke.”
The Acolyte has drawn poor audience ratings across multiple websites, including IMDb, and Metacritic. Following its cancellation, outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter cited sources to claim that low audience ratings played an important role in Lucasfilm’s decision not to renew the show for another season.
However, as the petition and the number of signatures it has already garnered suggest, there are many who love the show and want the studio to bring it back. There are quite a few examples of studios reversing their decisions to cancel TV shows, for instance, S.W.A.T. and Jericho, so the fans can hope for The Acolyte’s return. After all, the Season 1 finale leaves a narrative scope for the story to continue, and Headland has also expressed her interest in making another season. Now, whether the petition will impact the studio’s decision remains to be seen.
