Over a year after being canceled, The Acolyte creator speaks out over "completely valid" criticisms: "The first one through the wall is the bloodiest"

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Over a year after being canceled, The Acolyte creator speaks out over "completely valid" criticisms: "The first one through the wall is the bloodiest" News By Bradley Russell published 21 November 2025

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The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland has spoken out about the criticism of her canceled Star Wars show.

In an interview with The Wrap, Headland admitted, "Any gripes creatively with the show are completely valid."

Headland, perhaps best known for her work on Netflix time loop drama Russian Doll, pointed to The Acolyte taking place away from established Star Wars lore on a "new part of the timeline" as a reason why The High Republic-set mystery was a "major risk."

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"It’s the old adage of the first one through the wall is the bloodiest," Headland said. "It was just very much, 'Let’s shoot for the sky.'.. So I have no regrets, and I’m absolutely obsessed with Star Wars. I still am, and I love my show, and I know that it was wonderful."

However, Headland was at pains to note that while some of the vocal minority she had "respect" for, there were content creators she regarded as "snake oil salesmen" and "opportunists."

The Acolyte revolves around the murder of Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), an act that sparks off an investigation involving Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and Osha (Amandla Stenberg). From there, old wounds and hidden histories are re-opened – as the long shadow of the Jedi's most shameful days becomes apparent.

Despite launching to positive reviews (and a healthy 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes), The Acolyte was abruptly canceled after just one season a month after launch in August 2024. Reports at the time suggested The Acolyte was canned due to low viewership, with figures putting the Disney Plus show's cost at around the $230 million mark.

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CATEGORIES Disney Plus Streaming Services Bradley RussellSocial Links Navigation

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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