Star Wars: The Acolyte‘s failure has severely impacted the Star Wars franchise, particularly the new series Skeleton Crew, which continues to struggle to attract viewers very likely due to the lingering negative perception from The Acolyte. Despite ambitious plans for The Acolyte, its cancellation highlighted the disconnect between Lucasfilm’s creative direction and audience expectations, leading to a far reaching crisis for the Star Wars brand, which was once the pinnacle of entertainment.

Recent revelations have shed light on the grand vision that Leslie Hedland and her mentor Kathleen Kennedy had for the series The Acolyte had it not been unceremoniously cancelled. Initially, Hedland planned for three seasons and a feature film, aiming to delve deeper into the High Republic era of Star Wars lore. This information came to light during a panel at Fan Expo, where actor Mani Hinto shared insights into Hedland’s aspirations. He mentioned that the team had much more to explore, hinting at significant plot developments that were left untouched due to the show’s cancellation.

“I remember Leslye’s dream was for us to do three seasons, not just this one… But there’s something about having a finite ending to things that makes it so much more special. So, yeah, I don’t know if I’d do it or not, but you know, three seasons and a movie would have been incredible, and I know we had so much more to explore with that second season.”

Despite these ambitious plans, The Acolyte faced numerous challenges, including a ballooning budget which caused series financial constraints. Then the poor reviews and disappointing viewership numbers were the nail in the coffin. The series reportedly cost upwards of $230 million to produce, and when marketing expenses were factored in, the total easily exceeds $400 million. The season finale attracted 41% fewer viewers than Ahsoka and 50% fewer than Andor, both of which were already considered commercial disappointments.

The failure of The Acolyte can be attributed to poor writing, bad acting, and its focus on identity politics and ideological themes rather than the core elements that made Star Wars so beloved. This shift in focus alienated a substantial portion of the fanbase, likely leading to a decline in interest in new content. This is particularly true of the older fans, who might have served as a bridge to introduce the franchise to younger generations. Lucasfilm’s attempts to appeal to a new audience with shows like Skeleton Crew have not resonated, as today’s youth, who grew up with YouTube, see the nostalgic “Amblin Entertainment vibe” of Skeleton Crew to be outdated.

Despite being described as a pretty decent series, Skeleton Crew is overshadowed by the fallout of The Acolyte. The new show was expected to rejuvenate interest in the Star Wars franchise, but the series has been struggling to gain traction. Even though the series has not been laden with the same ideological baggage as The Acolyte, with a mere passing moment of a same-sex parenting family, the show is still being dismissed by potential viewers who are wary of the franchise’s recent direction. Maybe leaving the same-sex couple out of the show altogether might have helped. It certainly wouldn’t have hurt to leave that on the cutting room floor along with the gay-moments from Inside/Out 2.

The Star Wars brand has been tarnished by all of these controversies, leaving many fans reluctant to invest their time in any new content, fearing they may encounter the same issues that plagues nearly all of Disney’s output these days, and as a result, Skeleton Crew has been struggling to find its footing in a landscape marred by disappointment. With the damage already done, it remains uncertain whether Lucasfilm can recover and produce content that resonates with audiences. Disney’s brand has continued to focus on identity politics and ideological themes, which has led to a significant backlash and that reckoning is here. Unless there is a shift in creative direction, the Star Wars franchise won’t be their only one to face challenges in attracting viewers.

This disconnect between Lucasfilm’s creative vision and audience expectations has resulted in a challenging environment for the Star Wars brand, leaving many fans, the ones who haven’t simply become apathetic to the franchise, wondering what the future holds for Star Wars.