After a turbulent summer, Lucasfilm is rounding out the year with its latest streaming release.
Back in June 2024, The Acolyte, the divisive 2024 Disney+ series, transported Star Wars fans to the distant past of the galaxy, exploring the closing days of the High Republic Era. Creator Leslye Headland crafted a unique tale focused on the Sith’s rise amidst the Jedi’s Golden Age, delivering a fresh perspective on the Force.
Despite the ambitious storytelling and bold new direction, The Acolyte faced polarized reactions. The discourse surrounding canon and representation reached levels not seen since Rian Johnson’s divisive Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi (2017).
Led by a queer woman and featuring a diverse ensemble cast, the show inevitably became a lightning rod for online debate. For some, the show’s progressive representation was seen as a bold move, while others dismissed it as “woke,” sparking heated cultural commentary from day one when the series was revealed to be “female-centric.”
Though its nine-episode run left lingering questions—like Darth Plagueis’s official live-action reveal and Yoda’s potential role in the Brendok disaster—The Acolyte was ultimately canceled, with reports citing low viewership. Fans argue that Lucasfilm gave too much weight to vocal critics who continuously targeted the cast and creative team. Some of the cast, including Amandla Stenberg (Osha/Mae Aniseya), Lee Jung-jae (Jedi Master Sol), Manny Jacinto (Qimir/The Stranger), and Jodie Turner-Smith (Mother Aniseya), spoke out about the backlash.
Speculation abounds about The Acolyte’s future on Disney+, with concerns that it may face the same fate as Willow, which was quietly removed from the platform. For now, though, the series remains available for streaming.
Now, Disney’s Alan Bergman, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, has spoken out about the fate of The Acolyte, confirming reports and the future of Star Wars at the House of Mouse.
“So as it relates to Acolyte, we were happy with our performance, but it wasn’t where we needed it to be given the cost structure of that title, quite frankly, to go and make a season two,” Bergman told Vulture. “So that’s the reason why we didn’t do that.”
Bergman also commented on Skeleton Crew, Jon Watts’ and Christopher Ford’s new series that brings audiences back to the New Republic era of Star Wars.
“Skeleton Crew is in process now, so we’ll see,” the Disney executive told the outlet. “We’ve seen some growth on that. We’ll see how that goes. As you said, the reviews have been excellent on Skeleton Crew, so we’ll have to see how that all plays out as it moves forward.”
However, Skeleton Crew, which debuted on December 2 on Disney+ and in select theaters, has not been faring well in terms of viewership, and with a reported budget of $136 million–still less than The Acolyte‘s–there’s a chance that the Jude Law-led series could face the same fate as its predecessor.
“It may be too early to know anything for certain about viewership, but it seems that the double-episode premiere did not break into Luminate’s top 10 streaming list for that week when The Acolyte’s premiere at least was at #7,” Forbes wrote. “That may not tell the whole story, but it’s certainly not an ideal start.”
Set during the Mando-Verse timeline alongside The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew introduces audiences to four children—Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith)—who find themselves lost in the galaxy after a discovery on their home planet. Along their journey, they encounter Jude Law’s enigmatic Force user, Jod Na Nawood.
Created by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford, the show blends Star Wars lore with a coming-of-age twist colloquially described as “Goonies in space.” Looking ahead, aside from Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka Season 2 and the upcoming Andor Season 2, Lucasfilm has nothing currently announced on the TV front. In features, The Mandalorian and Grogu will hit the big screen in 2026.
“…we’re looking at a number of additional series that are in development,” Bergman said. “We’ll see what we decide to do. As I said earlier, they have to be great, and when we’re in the position where we think we have what we want, we’re going to move forward.” Disney Entertainment co-chair also explained that there are several films in development, too.
Fans still yearn for a return to cinematic storytelling on a grander scale. The last film, Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019), left audiences with mixed feelings, creating a four-year theatrical drought.
The wait for the next feature-length Star Wars experience will end in May 2026, when Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters. This film, rumored to replace The Mandalorian Season 4, continues Din Djarin and Grogu’s story while paving the way for Dave Filoni’s climactic “Heir to the Empire”-inspired crossover.
Meanwhile, whispers of new trilogies have surfaced, with Simon Kinberg reportedly developing a project for the studio. Whether this will form Episodes X–XII or connect to Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Skywalker-led “New Jedi Order” film remains to be seen.
Adding to the uncertainty, Disney recently bumped the December 2026 Star Wars release in favor of Ice Age 6 (2026). In addition, new reports claim that Taika Waititi’s movie has been shelved, and Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron is back in active development.
Will Lucasfilm’s ambitious slate come to fruition? And how will fans continue to react to Skeleton Crew? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments below!
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