As revealed in a brand new excerpt from an upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte artwork ebook, the inspiration for the occasions of the present got here from a doubtlessly shocking character within the Star Wars universe: Han Solo.
Whether or not you really liked it or hated it, it is truthful to say that Star Wars: The Acolyte tried to do one thing completely different with the Star Wars IP.
Disney took an enormous swing and tried to take the franchise in a brand new route, however, in the end, it seemingly proved just a little too completely different for the Star Wars fanbase to deal with, as Star Wars: The Acolyte was unsurprisingly cancelled roughly a month after its last episode aired.
Although it’s been effectively over a yr since Star Wars: The Acolyte’s cancellation, the controversy surrounding the collection has someway endured. As detailed in a report by Forbes’ Caroline Reid again in September 2025, we lastly acquired affirmation of the present’s beforehand theorised complete funds: $230.8 million, or roughly $256.7 million when adjusted for present charges.
The Acolyte’s funds was a well-liked speaking level for individuals who loved deriding it for being “woke” on-line, so lastly receiving affirmation of precisely how a lot it value to supply as soon as once more impressed additional dialogue surrounding its cancellation.
The present did nonetheless earn itself its fair proportion of die-hard followers, although. Clearly not sufficient to resume it for a second season, however sufficient that Disney has launched a few seemingly profitable tie-in novels that target unique characters featured in Star Wars: The Acolyte.
Likewise, a Change.org petition titled “Renew the Acolyte” has managed to earn roughly 85,000 signatures as effectively, and followers even tried to generate some buzz for the collection on the Star Wars Celebration occasion final yr in April (by chanting for “season two” of The Acolyte throughout an interview with Manny Jacinto).
In case you ask me, I believe that the collection retains making it again into headlines due to the dedication of each its haters and its supporters. The haters love to speak about how a lot they hate it, and the lovers hate that the present they beloved was cancelled, which, when mixed, results in an increasing number of articles about it on-line.
That’s why it’s type of humorous to me that the inspiration from the collection seemingly got here from arguably the most well-liked character within the unique trilogy of Star Wars movies: Han Solo.
As detailed in a brand new excerpt from the upcoming ebook The Artwork of Star Wars: The Acolyte by Kristin Baver, the character of Han Solo sounds prefer it was a jumping-off level for The Acolyte’s conception.
“In a sprawling galaxy with limitless planets and prospects, The Acolyte is an intimate character examine that places a contemporary highlight on that very human duality in all of us. There are not any battlefronts throughout the star techniques, no Imperial faction snuffing out the Republic, and solely the primary trace of the Sith,” reads the excerpt.
“There are not any indeniable variations of proper and unsuitable, hero and villain, good and evil. The Acolyte teaches us one thing that Han Solo has been proselytising for many years. Confronted with a crossroads, all of us have the flexibility to decide on our personal future, however that does not imply we’ll all the time get it proper.”
This additionally strains up with feedback made by The Acolyte’s showrunner and creator, Leslye Headland, in an interview on the official Star Wars web site.
“One facet that I used to be very focused on exploring within the present was, relying on the best way you take a look at it, anybody could be the dangerous man… And relying on the best way you take a look at it, anybody could be the nice man,” Headland revealed.
“No person wakes up within the morning and thinks they’re the villain. Everyone is doing what they suppose is both greatest for them or what’s anticipated of them or making an attempt to suit themselves in a specific paradigm or ultimate that’s vital to the establishment, household, or place on the earth that they discover themselves in.”
It’s simply odd to search out out that Han Solo, arguably probably the most beloved character in all of Star Wars fiction, served as a form of foundation for such a closely divisive Star Wars present.
Might be attention-grabbing to see what different tidbits come out of The Artwork of Star Wars: The Acolyte’s full launch on February 5, as a result of I’ve a sense that one thing in there’s going to result in us speaking about it yet again subsequent month.
