If there is one thing that accompanies the journey of a film series becoming a pop culture phenomenon, it is mixed reviews. And also widespread fame and acclaim, but those are the obvious adjectives. With eleven feature-length films and six TV series already released, the Star Wars franchise is undoubtedly one of the most culturally important ones in recent history.
The most recent addition to it, ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’, not only went on to receive the biggest opening for a show on Disney+ for 2024 so far, but it also garnered hugely juxtaposing reviews from fans.
Differing widely from all previous shows and installments in the franchise, ‘The Acolyte’ follows a different Jedi Order than the one seen in the prequels. It also portrays characters who are much more in touch with their emotions. This is also more noticeable because of how emotionless the Order seems in the prequels, but Lee Jung-jae’s performance as Master Sol sticks out like a sore thumb, but in a good way.
All in all, however, the resulting series was a lackluster moodboard that failed to capture the franchise’s magic on the small screen. And yet, fans of the show have caused #RenewTheAcolyte to trend on social media while awaiting news of its renewal.
Will an additional season be what the series needs to return to the glory of its parent franchise? Or will it deviate the franchise from its glory even further? Stay tuned to find out!