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Good news comes from Universal with the announcement that David Harbour will be returning to the role of Santa in Violent Night 2. Anyone who has seen Violent Night certainly remembers his performance as a hard-drinking, surly, rough around the edges St. Nick, who really knew how to fight (and had a sledge hammer he called “Skull Crusher”).

In 2022’s Violent Night, a group of mercenaries with festive code names like Mr. Scrooge, Candy Cane and Frosty invade a mansion where a wealthy family is celebrating on Christmas Eve. “Celebrating” may actually not be the right description for this particular holiday gathering, though – these family members are combative, ruthless and don’t trust one another.

When the mercenaries burst in, they hold the family members captive, hoping to get into a secret vault that holds $300 million. But little do they know, Santa Claus is stuck in the mansion with them, since...

If we had a penny for every time a major Christmas movie got announced on 11 June, 2025, we'd have two pennies. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. Yes, following the wake-up shot that was the announcement Robert Eggers is tackling a new take on A Christmas Carol over at Warner Bros., our mid-summer festive feeling intensified this morning with the news, courtesy of THR, that r-rated candy-canes-and-battle-hammers joint Violent Night is getting a sequel — and both director Tommy Wirkola and star David Harbour are returning.

Slated for a Christmas 2026 release, Violent Night 2 will continue the story of Harbour's Santa Claus, who we first met as a pool ball and ice-skate wielding, jaded alcoholic just about ready to give up on the happiest season in the first movie, only for a home invasion and subsequent spell in the company of kiddo Trudy (Leah Brady) to...

Christmas came early for fans of bloody and brutal Santas and David Harbour. A sequel to Tommy Wirkola's holiday-set action flick Violent Night is officially on its way, as 87North and Universal have set a release date. Harbour will get his suit and beard back on and get ready to rumble in theaters on December 4, 2026, landing the film right near the start of the holiday season. The Hollywood Reporter has also officially confirmed that Wirkola will be returning behind the camera for more Christmas carnage, as will the first film's writers, Pat Casey and Josh Miller, who've been hard at work on a script. Universal is circling September as a start date for filming in Winnipeg with 87North's Kelly McCormick and David Leitch back as producers.

Released in 2022, the original Violent Night was a treat for action fans and Christmas movie lovers alike, casting Harbour as a bitter old...

One of the most (if not the most) controversial Star Wars stories is proving to be surprisingly popular despite its sudden cancelation. Beginning in June last year, the Star Wars prequel series The Acolyte proved to be another deeply divisive adventure in a galaxy far, far away. But, while the series has now been canceled by Disney, a new report reveals that the cries from fans for The Acolyte Season 2 are louder than anyone would have expected.

According to Parrot Analytics, who study viewing metrics, streaming data, and more, calls for The Acolyte Season 2 are “20.8 times the average,” which they conclude “stands as a compelling candidate for further investment and development.” Despite a slight drop in demand from fans (dipping from a previous high of 22.6 times the average), The Acolyte “remains exceptionally rated within the drama genre at the 99.3rd percentile,” which they believe “indicates a high loyalty and engagement level from a dedicated audience,...

Violent Night 2 co-writer Josh Miller addresses the potential appearance of Mrs. Claus. The 2022 action comedy followed David Harbour as an embittered and discouraged Santa Claus, who stumbles upon the Lightstone family being held hostage on Christmas Eve. Praised by audiences and considered a relative commercial success, having generated $76 million worldwide, a sequel to the holiday film was announced in 2023. Details about Violent Night 2 remain scarce, but Miller and Pat Casey are working on the script, and ideas for incorporating Mrs. Claus and other elements have been swirling.

During a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Miller discussed the possibility of Mrs. Claus being played by Winona Ryder in Violent Night 2. He explained that Ryder's name had not come up, and chose to stay quiet about the potential inclusion of Santa's wife altogether. However, Miller did reveal some new information about the Violent Night sequel, noting that it...

Violent Night 2 gets an exciting script update from its writers, two years after the John Wick producer's Santa action-comedy was released. Volent Night 2's release was confirmed in January 2023, not long after the first movie became a theatrical success. The original film garnered $76.6 million against a $20 million budget, justifying the continuation of David Harbour's Santa Claus violently going up against criminals and nefarious figures threatening innocent people during the holidays. The movie was produced by John Wick production company 87North Productions, while the screenplay was written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller.

Speaking with ScreenRant about Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Casey and Miller provided an update for Violent Night 2, stating the first draft of their script is almost due. The writers explained how, as soon as their interviews for their latest film are over, they'll be hard at work on the Christmas action-comedy sequel. While they didn't...

Jodie Turner-Smith reveals that she has "no regrets" about playing Mother Aniseya in the divisive Star Wars Disney+ series The Acolyte. The series has received harsh backlash from fans and critics despite topping the streaming charts. Even before its release, it was shrouded in hostile reception. Disney has decided not to renew The Acolyte for season 2.

Turner-Smith reflects on her experience starring in the Star Wars series while promoting The Agency in an interview with Collider. The star revealed that she "loved being in that universe" and she wouldn't hesitate to return if The Acolyte received another season. Turner-Smith further explained it had nothing to do with the content of the show, but because it was her "dream project." Check out what the actor said below:

Of course [I'd return]! First of all, I loved being in that universe, I had an incredible time doing that, and I loved it. No matter what,...

Star Wars: The Acolyte was a hit with critics, but the show was nevertheless subjected to heavy backlash on social media. In particular, there had been many negative comments made online about the diversity of the cast, and actor Lee Jung-jae can remember how hurtful it felt at the time.

In a new interview with Vanity Fair to promote the upcoming second season of Netflix's Squid Game, Lee reflected on the backlash against The Acolyte. While he found the racist comments to be hurtful, he especially felt for series showrunner Leslye Headland. Lee also said that while he knew going into the show that Star Wars has a passionate (and sometimes very vocal) fan base, he was still "shocked" by the levels of racist comments and online harassment that he'd witnessed.

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Carrie-Anne Moss didn't last long in Star Wars: The Acolyte, as her character was killed off in a surprise twist at the very start. This allowed for her to say her goodbyes to Star Wars long before the show was officially canceled, so she wasn't too bothered when the news was broken.

In an interview with ComicBook.com, Moss explained how she's no stranger to seeing shows getting canceled, and by this point in her career, she's developed a "protection mechanism" by choosing not to get too invested in TV projects. She also pointed out how her own brief run on the show had already ended, so while she has love for everyone on the Acolyte team, it didn't have a big impact on her personally.

Related Star Wars: Ahsoka's Mary Elizabeth Winstead Set to Star in Remake of 1992 Thriller

Mary Elizabeth Winstead has boarded the cast of the upcoming...

Actor Manny Jacinto is still holding out hope for a second season of Star Wars series The Acolyte despite the recent cancellation. During an appearance at Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia (via @DigitalLA), Jacinto was asked about his future goals and what he would like to achieve before he leaves this mortal coil. For the actor, this answer was not a difficult one, with Jacinto pondering his response for a second before replying simply...

Season 2 of The Acolyte.

His answer was met with rapturous cheers and applause from the crowd, who clearly would also love to see the actor and the rest of The Acolyte cast return for more stories in a galaxy far, far away. Set at the end of the High Republic era before the events of the Skywalker Saga, The Acolyte follows a Jedi as he begins to investigates a series of crimes. Jacinto joins the Star...

Ahmed Best, the actor best known for playing Jar-Jar Binks, is familiar with how cruel certain segments of the Star Wars fandom can be and has shown his support for another actor in need of support, The Acolyte's Amandla Stenberg. Following the news that Disney announced they were canceling The Acolyte, a certain group of individuals decided to go onto Amandla Stenberg's social media post and celebrate the cancelation of the series, showing the cruel vitriol that had followed The Acolyte since the series was announced. On August 28, 2024, Stenberg took to social media to make a post that both showed her appreciation for the fans who had embraced the series while also calling out the racist comments they and the series received during its run.

The Acolyte 2/5 ActionAdventureDramaSci-Fi

Star Wars series that take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.

Amandla Stenberg has finally spoken out about the cancelation of Star Wars series The Acolyte, as well as speaking candidly about the hatred and vitriol both the cast and the show received from a certain section of the audience. Stenberg played the dual roles of Mae and Osha in the Disney+ series, which was canceled earlier this month as Lucasfilm and Disney opted not to pursue a second season. While many fans were upset, many people took the cancelation as a moment to celebrate and address fans of the show and the creatives behind the series online in a way they likely wouldn't in person.

Stenberg, in particular, was the target of much of the hatred and vitriol. Now, Stenberg has taken to social media to speak openly about the hatred The Acolyte received from its initial announcement all the way to the series airing and its eventual cancelation. You...

The Acolyte's cancelation reveals Star Wars' fear of new ideas and overreliance on nostalgia. Star Wars must accept that it shouldn't always appear to everyone and embrace niche fandoms to grow. Dealing with a divided fanbase, Star Wars must address toxic behavior and explore new directions.

On September 19, 2024, the Star Wars fandom felt a disturbance in the force, like the Death Star blowing up Alderaan. The news broke that The Acolyte was not returning for Season 2. While it was framed as a cancelation, it was more like The Book of Boba Fett or Obi-Wan Kenobi, where a second season wasn't ordered. Still, cancelation is a buzzier word, and unlike those series, The Acolyte ended with a cliffhanger that seemed to set up a second season. This news was a disappointment for many fans. There were others, though, that celebrated the series cancelation. They didn't just enjoy the series cancelation but...

Despite Star Wars: The Acolyte teasing many things for its second season, the series starring Amandla Stenberg will not be returning to Disney+. According to Deadline, the latest divisive Star Wars show has been canceled after just a single season following disappointing audience reviews and a dwindling viewership in the latter half of the season.

Bringing a new era of the Star Wars universe to screens, The Acolyte seemed to have everything it needed to be a huge hit. Although the series started off with strong viewership, audiences jumped ship as the series progressed, and with a reported $100 million price tag for the season, those numbers, combined with the hate the series received, were always going to see Season 2 struggle to come to fruition. According to Nielsen figures, The Acolyte never made it higher than sixth position on their streaming chart, even during its strongest episodes, and the finale is...

Warning! The Following Contains Spoilers from the Season 1 Finale of The Acolyte.

The revelation isn't nearly as impactful as that of Darth Vader revealing he is Luke Skywalker's father. However, most Star Wars fans already knew, or, at least, strongly suspected Darth Plagueis the Wise was the Strangers Sith Master, but The Acolytes showrunner Leslye Headland has officially confirmed their relationship. While Qimir, aka the Stranger (Manny Jacinto), and Lord Plagueis never shared a scene together, fans were treated to a very quick shot of the Sith Master hiding in the shadows during the Season 1 finale. Headland said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:

We wanted to answer a lot of questions. We wanted to show Qimirs master [Darth Plagueis]. We weren't going to wait a second season for that.

Qimir is arguably the most intriguing character to grace the eight-episode Disney+ series. Obsessed with finding his own acolyte, the...

Warning! The Following Contains Spoilers from The Acolyte Season 1.

Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) wields a cool, crackling purple whip lightsaber, but leaving most of the Mirialans backstory on the table turns out to be Leslye Headlands biggest regret from Season 1 of The Acolyte. The creator and showrunner of the Star Wars prequel honestly didnt utilize the Jedi Master enough throughout the course of the Disney+ series eight episodes.

However, there were so many other characters to concentrate on, including Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg), the Stranger (Manny Jacinto) and Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), all of whom took precedence in the storytelling. For that reason, Vernestras backstory largely remains a mystery and unexplored in Season 1. Headland said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:

That was something I kept trying to slip in, but there was so much [sighs]. It's a really packed season, and I love that. My goal...

Star Wars fans were obviously excited to see both Master Yoda and Darth Plagueis the Wise, but does that mean theyll return for a second season, if there is one? For a controversial streaming series with such an uncertain future, The Acolytes Season 1 finale certainly felt like a cliffhanger, teasing more stories focusing on both creator George Lucas and Leslye Headlands characters. And Headland confirms that if the show goes on in that galaxy far, far away, the Sith lord Plagueis will influence what happens next. Headland said in an interview with Inverse:

Hes definitely a signifier of things to come if we end up moving forward. Osha and the Stranger are aligned. Literally the last shot of the show is the two of them holding the same lightsaber. Its the last shot of Fight Club these are two people that are looking out under the horizon and believing that their power is intense,...

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for The Acolyte season 1, episode 8, "The Acolyte"!

Director Hannelle M. Culpepper revealed Lucasfilm hesitated to feature Yoda in The Acolyte season finale, despite showrunner Leslye Headland's insistence. The surprise Jedi Master cameo was a result of Headland's persistence and careful planning to fit into the storyline. The challenges of incorporating Yoda stemmed from Lucasfilm's protective approach towards the Star Wars brand and character integrity.

The Acolyte episode 8 director Hannelle M. Culpepper reveals that the season finale's Yoda's surprising appearance was difficult to bring to screen due to hesitation from Lucasfilm behind the scenes. After exploring a murder mystery and one of the Jedi Order's darkest moments across season 1, the latest Star Wars Disney+ series ended with the Jedi under Senate scrutiny and Mae (Amandla Stenberg) in Jedi custody. However, with her fallen apprentice resurfacing and new challenges and allies emerging, Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson...

The Acolyte season 2 promises new alliances, Dark Side descents, and familiar High Republic faces. The relationship between Mae and Vernestra and Osha's warrior development will be explored. Showrunner Leslye Headland hints at more book cameos and integrating High Republic characters into the show.

The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland teases what a potential season 2 may have in store, teasing new alliances, further descents into the Dark Side, and familiar High Republic faces making appearances. The first season of Disney+'s latest Star Wars series followed a complicated case that saw a lone assassin embark on a mission to claim the lives of four Jedi Masters who wronged her. In The Acolyte season 1's final episode, relationships were shattered and lives forever changed for sisters Osha and Mae (Both played by Amandla Stenberg).

With The Acolyte season 1 seeing Osha walk the path of the Dark Side and Mae in Jedi custody,...

The Acolyte concluded its eight-episode Season 1 run on Disney+, and fan reactions have been as divided as expected from any new addition to the franchise. The final episode answered many questions but also left plenty of teases for a potential second season, including a tease of the villainous Darth Plagueis. One element that certainly had fans talking was the dynamic between the villain Qimir (Manny Jacinto) and Osha (Amandla Stenberg), with the two holding hands in the episode's final moments getting a lot of attention online.

The Acolyte 2/5

Main Genre Sci-FiCast Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Joonas Suotamo, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, Leah Brady, Manny Jacinto, Rebecca Henderson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dean-Charles Chapman, Lauren Brady, Anthony J. Abraham, Thara Shn, Danielle Xin Yao Waterman, Sienna Khiroya, Jeramiah Evans, Dan Milne, Thomas Coombes, Archie Singh Swali, Nick Court, Ed Kear, Jumayn Hunter, Scroobius Pip, Abigail Thorn, Margarita Levieva, Amy Tsang, Saskia Allen,...

The Acolyte star Manny Jacinto has revealed his hopes for a second season, with the actor responding positively to fan suggestions and shipping his character Qimir with Amandla Stenbergs Osha. Jacintos role in the Star Wars series proved to one of the biggest mysteries, with Qimir revealed to be a Sith master. Speaking with GQ, Jacinto said he has seen fan art depicting something going on between Osha and the Sith Stranger, and its certainly an element he would love to explore in a future series.

In the fan art I've seen, there's a good amount that implies something between Osha and the Stranger. That's something that people, I think, have been yearning for in this genre, or at least in this IP, and I love that people are honing in on it and encouraging it. So I think people can look forward to more of that, possibly. If people want it,...

Darth Plagueis made his first live-action appearance in the season finale of The Acolyte. The creative team focused on making Plagueis look creepy, not powerful, in the show. Darth Plagueis' appearance has huge ramifications for The Acolyte.

The season finale of The Acolyte included a very familiar looking face as a cameo, and showrunner Leslye Headland confirmed that Darth Plagueis did, in fact, make his first live-action appearance.

While speaking with Collider, Headland confirmed Darth Plagueis made an appearance in The Acolyte, and she talked about the thought process behind bringing the Muun Sith Lord into live-action.

We are. I'm very proud of the character design. It took a long time. Like we were saying the last time, obviously, we were doing a Muun; their hands are different, so showing the hand first felt like a nice tell. But also, again, the Crimson Peak reference of: this should not feel like a display of power,...

The Acolyte is crucial to Star Wars lore, revealing connections to The Phantom Menace and the origins of Darth Plagueis. The series expands on the Jedi's belief in a vergence in the Force, potentially setting the stage for Anakin's creation by Plagueis. The tragic story of The Acolyte mirrors The Phantom Menace, hinting at the Jedi's eventual downfall and the rise of the Sith.

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte.

While on the surface, The Acolyte seemed like a standalone Star Wars story not connected to the Skywalker Saga, throughout its eight-episode run, it revealed itself to be a vital part in laying the foundation for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. The Acolyte is set 100 years before the first film in the Skywalker Saga and follows a murder mystery revolving around a pair of twin sisters named Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg) who have...

The Acolyte season finale finally delivered on a Star Wars tease from nearly 20 years ago. The finale episode primarily focused on the original characters the series had introduced and solved the main storyline, but creator Leslye Headland certainly had plenty of fun teasing some fan-favorite cameos. The final scene showed Yoda (or at least the back of his head), but earlier in the episode, The Acolyte finally introduced a legendary Sith lord we've been hearing about since Revenge of the Sith.

During the Season 1 finale, when Qimir and Osha finish training in a cave and leave to confront Mae and Jedi Master Sol. A mysterious figure lurks in the cave, watching them. This figure is recognizable as an alien of the Munn species and is the Sith Master Darth Plagueis, who was first teased in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith back in 2005. Despite being such an...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 8.

The Acolyte episode 8 improves on its predecessor, but still suffers from uninteresting plots and characters. Season 1 mainly focuses on Mae and Osha, leaving more intriguing storylines like Qimir, Sol, and Darth Plagueis in the background. Longer and more episodes are needed to explore character motivations and key moments effectively, which The Acolyte failed to achieve.

The Acolyte episode 8 is an improvement over its two predecessors, but problems persist as more interesting Star Wars stories are lost amid uncompelling plots and characters. When The Acolyte was first announced, I could not wait to experience a story about the Sith rising to power beneath the feet of the Jedi in Star Wars' High Republic Era. Unfortunately, the show was more content to push that storyline to the side in favor of uninteresting characters that simply needed more time to breathe, as evidenced by...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for The Acolyte episode 8.

The Acolyte finale revealed some mysteries but left questions about the true identity of the Stranger. Episode 8 hinted at that the Stranger was Vernestra Rwoh's former Padawan, and she could have given him his curving scars. Darth Plagueis also made a cameo, which could hint that the Stranger was his first apprentice before Palpatine.

The finale of The Acolyte held some shocking reveals, but it also left some questions, like the true identity of the Stranger, unanswered. The Stranger has been one of The Acolyte's most mysterious character since he was first introduced. Nothing about him, from his true name to how he fit into the Sith Rule of Two, made much sense, but the finale of The Acolyte may have begun to unravel his mystery.

While it didn't outright confirm who the Stranger is, The Acolyte episode 8 did have a...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for The Acolyte.

If the Star Wars live-action series The Acolyte has excelled at anything, it is the ability to kill off interesting characters too early. Untimely deaths are a bit of a tradition in Star Wars, as Darth Maul, Snoke, and Obi-Wan Kenobi have proven. The first episode of The Acolyte saw Carrie-Anne Moss' character, Master Indara, killed in the first five minutes, one of many unexpected and seemingly premature deaths. But The Acolyte creator and showrunner Leslye Headland is hopeful, however, that at least two recently-dispatched characters may still have stories to tell.

In episode five of the series, Night, Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and a squad of Jedi confront The Stranger, who is revealed to be Qimir (Manny Jacinto). The confrontation turns into a slaughter, as Qimir kills Sol's Jedi, including young Jecki (Dafne Keen) and Yord (Charlie Barnett) in one of...

The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland shuts down fan theory about Qimir's master, and teases more of Mother Koril's story if the series returns for season two. Speculation still swirls around ties between The Acolyte and other Star Wars lore, with fans guessing Qimir's Sith status and Mother Koril's fate. Despite review bombing attempts, The Acolyte has garnered strong viewership, but its future remains uncertain amid Disney's shifting priorities.

The Acolyte's showrunner Leslye Headland has shot down one fan theory about the series. Since The Acolyte premiered on June 4, 2024, it has become one of the most discussed television series for positive and negative fan reactions. The series' mystery has led to a large amount of speculation regarding it, with fan theories popping up each week only to be answered or redefined with each new episode. From ties to Knights of the Old Republic to maybe including Disney's failed Star Wars hotel,...

New characters in The Acolyte may have a future in upcoming content, exploring their roles in the Star Wars universe. Showrunner Leslye Headland hopes to see characters like Yord, and Jecki return in potential spinoffs or other media. The Acolyte presents a darker side of the Jedi, as they struggle to survive encounters with beings who use the dark side of the Force.

The Acolyte introduced numerous new characters to the Star Wars universe, and there may still be a role for them going forward. Set at the tail end of the High Republic, the show features the Jedi at their peak, settled in a much younger Coruscant and wielding immense influence throughout the galaxy. The Acolyte's ensemble cast is filled with newly-introduced Jedi heroes, who are still policing their corner of the universe, though they struggle to survive after encountering beings who regularly use the dark side of the Force.

The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland teases a potential season 2. Premiering on Disney Plus last month, the latest Star Wars show takes place roughly 100 years before The Phantom Menace, chronicling the investigation into a series of Jedi murders by a powerful, dark force-user. The Acolyte episode 7 continued the story of Sol (Lee Jung-jae), Osha (Amandla Stenberg), and Mae, with only 1 episode now remaining in the season.

In a recent interview with Nerdist ahead of the season 1 finale, Headland teases the possibility of The Acolyte season 2. While the showrunner answers with a firm "No!" regarding whether season 2 has been definitively given the green light, she does tease that things are in the works behind the scenes. Check out her comment below:

"I have no idea. Well, not that I have no idea. I would say there are conversations. And I dont know when that will happen. I dont know when that decision will be made.

Star Wars: The Acolyte introduces the lightsaber whip in its sixth episode, wielded by Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh. Lightwhips are powered by multiple miniature Kyber crystals, making them more flexible and longer-lasting than traditional lightsabers. Lightwhips are more challenging to master and are often used by Sith due to their preference for bloodshed over peace.

Star Wars: The Acolyte, has recently introduced one of its most iconic lightsaber types. In the sixth episode, Teach/Corrupt, the series delves into the aftermath of a battle between the Jedi and Qimir, where Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) defeats an umbramoth, a giant insect-like creature, with a lightsaber whip.

Lightsabers are undeniably one of the most recognizable and exciting elements of the Star Wars universe; therefore, it's no surprise that there are different types of lightsabers, as seen by variants like the double-bladed and Crossguard lightsabers.

The Acolyte ActionAdventureDramaSci-Fi 2/5

Release Date June 4, 2024Cast Amandla Stenberg,...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 6.

Osha and Qimir's storyline stands out in The Acolyte episode 6, paralleling Rey and Kylo Ren's dynamic from The Last Jedi and containing a fascinating deconstruction of Star Wars norms with added mystery. Vernestra Rwoh and Sol's storylines feel less compelling, with plot contrivances and delayed answers with a lack of more compelling questions. The Acolyte episode 6 suffers from runtime restraints, needing longer stories and better formatting for TV as opposed to drawn-out movies.

The Acolyte episode 6 is a mixed bag of fascination and frustration, something I somewhat expected coming off the highs of last week's installment. The Acolyte episode 5's amazing lightsaber fights, character deaths, and huge reveals were always unlikely to continue this week, as the show takes a notably deep breath before next week's flashback-heavy plunge. Unfortunately, by the time of The Acolyte episode 6's ending, the show...

The Acolyte defies its critics, becoming a strong performer on Disney+ with high viewership. Reelgood's analysis places The Acolyte second only to Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars franchise's TV offerings. Despite initial controversies, The Acolyte's chances of a second season are gaining momentum.

According to new data acquired by ScreenRant from Reelgood, the constant review-bombing, online criticisms both genuine and forced and several campaigns against The Acolyte have not been able to stop the show becoming another huge success for Disney+. While there are many challenges being faced by the series, like several others before it, the information shared about its performance so far will be all good news for Lucasfilm and Disney.

The Acolyte seemed to be heading down a path to its own dark side when the initial episodes opened up the expected debate about the state of modern Star Wars projects, canon issues, and woke and...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Acolyte.

Dafne Keen praises creator Leslye Headland for killing off central characters in Star Wars: The Acolyte, avoiding common tropes. The Acolyte has a low audience score but high critical rating, showcasing a dark and dangerous narrative. Headland is unsure about a second season, focusing on resolving major plot points in Season 1.

Dafne Keen seemed set to be a mainstay star of Star Wars: The Acolyte, but Episode 5 of the divisive series saw her character, Jecki Lon, and many other Jedi from the series meet their maker at the hands of The Stranger. The actress recently shared her thoughts on the shocking turn of events in the latest episode, and praised creator Leslye Headland for her willingness to buck the annoying Star Wars trend of usually not killing off central characters.

There have been several big Star Wars deaths over the course of the franchise,...

The Acolyte, a Star Wars series by Leslye Headland, sparked controversy with the inclusion of Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi in Episode 4. Fans accused the series of "breaking canon" due to Ki-Adi-Mundi's appearance, as he is a minor character from the prequel films, and the series takes place 100 years before the rise of the Empire. However, including Ki-Adi-Mundi doesn't necessarily break canon, and even if it did, it would be very minor compared to past changes in the franchise.

The Acolyte is the biggest Star Wars project of 2024, and it feels like every week after an episode airs, the conversation is not about the particular series itself but about things outside of it. From poor audience review scores, which likely are attributed to targeted review bombing supported by a non-Star Wars-related project known as Acolytes getting an influx of negative reviews, to a certain subset of fans having a hatred for...

Amandla Stenberg got tripped up trying to pull off her twin characters, Osha and Mae, in The Acolytes fifth episode, Night. Stenberg has done a fine job portraying the magical twins the entire season, but the antes were upped when Mae decided to trade places with her sister, Osha, and secretly leave with Jedi Master Sol at the episodes conclusion. When it comes to Stenbergs acting craft and approaching her portrayal of the twins, the actress says, I truly believe the perspective of each sister.

Warning! The Following Contains Spoilers for The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5, Night.

Parent Trap alert! Wake up, Master Sol youre traveling with the wrong twin. Through four episodes of the new Star Wars series, The Acolyte, actress Amandla Stenberg has done an excellent job of portraying identical twin sisters, Osha and Mae. However, the stakes went up considerably thanks to showrunner Leslye Headland, because the sister who runs with the Sith,...

The Acolytes showrunner, Leslye Headland, says she threw everything into Season 1. Headland looks forward to working on The Acolyte in the future, if the Disney+ series receives a proper pickup, but that hasnt happened yet. The creator of The Acolyte explains her approach to crafting the first season of a show in regard to a possible Season 2, which may or may not happen.

Difficult to see... always in motion is the future. Those wise words from Master Yoda are quite apropos, as The Acolytes showrunner, Leslye Headland, contemplates and discusses a possible second season for the Disney+ Star Wars series. As the show from a galaxy far, far away approaches its final three episodes, Headland was asked about the future, and she claims to have thrown everything into Season 1. Headland explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:

I threw everything into Season 1, because who knows what's going to happen?...

The Acolyte has come with a lot of revelations. In Episode 3, "Destiny," the series begins to show us what happened on the planet Brendok between the Jedi and Mother Aniseya's (Jodie Turner-Smith) coven, and a lot has to do with how the witches view the Force differently from the Jedi. As Aniseya explains to her daughters, twins Mae (Leah Brady) and Osha (Lauren Brady), their faith is in something called the Thread, and is fundamentally different from the usual Force the Jedi follow. So what is so special about the Thread when compared to the Force?...

A little over five minutes into the third episode of Disney+’s “The Acolyte,” Jodi Turner-Smith’s Mother Aniseya makes a gesture of love. She meets with her fellow witch Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva) and gently touches her chin and strokes her cheek. It’s a beautiful moment of intimacy that in any other television show would be regarded as such, but given this was a “Star Wars” it’s a moment that immediately seems radical. Not only is “The Acolyte” introducing space witches, it is introducing space witches that are also very likely gay.

The installment titled “Destiny,” directed by filmmaker Kogonada of “After Yang” and “Columbus,” intentionally leaves a lot mysterious about the coven. But even so it offers up a rich portrait of a world with some of the most gorgeous “Star Wars” imagery in recent memory—not just because of the physical representation of the coven,...

The Acolyte, the latest series from the Star Wars universe, is getting a lot of mixed reactions, with its audience and critics as parallel as the Forces. But while the storyline of the same has been deemed widely controversial, it seems the series hasn’t left out on the adventure and the easter eggs as all those die-hard Star Wars fans may have been expecting.

The Acolyte. | Credit: Disney+.

This comes after the apocalyptic scene in the third episode of the saga aired, which featured a major and incredibly sneaky tribute to one legendary character from the lore. That’s not all; this thoroughly slyly crafted scene, which many fans must have missed to study properly, even hints at the fate that may await Mae Aniseya in the later events of the series.

The Acolyte Episode 3 Pays Homage to One Legendary Character

First off, if you haven’t seen The Acolyte and wish to,...

The Acolyte dives into a dark mystery of Jedi being hunted, hinting at sinister forces at play. The cast includes Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, and Rebecca Henderson in key roles. Carrie-Anne Moss and Jodie Turner-Smith join the ensemble in roles of skilled Jedi and witches.

Here's everything you need to know about the cast and characters of The Acolyte. The future of Star Wars lies in the past - specifically, a century before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. This was the end of the High Republic Era, the golden age of the Jedi and the Republic.

The Acolyte is helmed by Leslye Headland, of Russian Doll fame. Its unique setting means the Disney+ TV show largely focuses on brand new characters, and The Acolyte episode 3 even introduced a brand new Force cult. Here's all you need to know about the cast and characters of The Acolyte.

[This story contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Acolyte‘s third episode, “Destiny.”]

As soon as Star Wars: The Acolyte stars Jodie Turner-Smith and Rebecca Henderson stepped foot onto their South East England-based set, they immediately fell under the spell of a galaxy far, far away. Turner-Smith first visited the stage on a day where she wasn’t working, simply because she couldn’t pass up the chance to witness a particularly fateful duel.

“I actually went to visit set during the scene where Amandla Stenberg’s character fights Carrie-Anne Moss’ character, and I really was just like, ‘Oh my God, this is Star Wars,’” Turner-Smith tells The Hollywood Reporter. “That was definitely my first ‘whoa,’ and I wasn’t even in costume yet.”

Despite being new to Star Wars, Turner-Smith found herself in familiar territory, as her frequent collaborator, Kogonada, directed her in the third and seventh episodes of the Leslye Headland-created mystery-thriller series.

5 Things You May Have Missed in Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 3 Destiny - Main Image

The Acolyte Episode 3, Destiny, features the backstory of the mysterious twin sisters Mae and Osha.

Though it’s set further back in the timeline than the previous two episodes, it shows major connections to the greater Star Wars canon with numerous Easter eggs and references.

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.

The Acolyte Episode 3 reveals Osha and Mae’s origins. The two were raised by a coven of witches led by Mother Aniseya, who also served as their mother figure.

The kids were preparing for their ascension ceremony, which would officially make them a witch, but Osha had second thoughts.

The arrival of the Jedi Knights on the planet Brendok sparked Osha’s interest in joining the Jedi.

As this resulted in Osha and Mae taking different paths, it ended with...

The Acolyte: Meet Lauren and Leah Brady, Who Play Young Mae and Osha in Episode 3 - Main Image

Fans finally learn of Osha and Mae’s backstory in The Acolyte episode 3, titled Destiny. However, aside from revealing the twin sisters’ childhood and what drove them apart, the episode also showcased the incredible performances of real-life sisters Lauren and Leah Brady as the young Osha and Mae.

Aside from delving deeper into the witch twins' background, episode 3 also featured the Star Wars debut of Jodie Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya, who looked after the Force-sensitive sisters, and the story how Jedi Master Sol met Osha and Mae for the first time.

And despite their young age, twin actresses Lauren and Leah's portrayals of the young versions of Mae and Osha stood out from the rest.

Who is Lauren Brady in The Acolyte?

Lauren played the young Osha in The Acolyte Episode 3. Compared to her twin sister,...

This Star Wars: The Acolyte article contains spoilers.

As the first Star Wars television show set during the High Republic, The Acolyte has all of the ingredients needed to make a unique and compelling Star Wars story. The plot centers on an investigation into a mysterious crime spree that uncovers secrets and dangers long thought to be buried. The time period is new and exciting. And, it has an incredibly stacked cast full of performers eager to bring this era of Star Wars to life.

Here are some of the characters you can expect to see in The Acolyte and the talented performers who play them.

Amandla Stenberg is Osha and Mae

Amandla Stenberg is playing twin sisters Osha and Mae who were “separated by tragedy when they were very young,” according to the actor. Osha was once the promising Padawan of the Jedi Sol before leaving the order due...

Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for The Acolyte episode 3.

Mae and Osha's backstory is revealed in The Acolyte episode 3, with Lauren and Leah Brady shining in the young roles. Lauren Brady's portrayal captures Osha's emotions flawlessly, from wonder to heartbreak, in a standout performance. Leah Brady delivers a brilliant performance as young Mae, hinting at more to come from her point of view in future episodes of The Acolyte.

The Acolyte episode 3 explores the childhood of Osha and Mae, complete with two younger actors in the central roles. As of The Acolyte premiere's ending, Amandla Stenberg solidified herself as the twin sisters, one light and one dark. Stenberg expertly led The Acolyte's cast of characters in the first two episodes, though the visions of Osha and Mae as children left many questions surrounding their childhood.

In The Acolyte episode 3's fantastic story, Mae and Osha's history is divulged to the audience.

Star Wars: The Acolyte episode 3 delves into Mae and Osha’s complicated past, giving us the foundations of their conflict. Here’s our review.

Before we dive into The Acolyte episode 3, just a disclaimer that these reviews will include mild spoilers for the episode in question but will discuss previous episodes with heavy spoilers. So if you haven’t seen The Acolyte episodes 1 and 2, you might want to watch those before reading what we have to say about episode 3.

Still here? Excellent. On with the show!

The Acolyte got off to a wobbly start last week with two episodes. The new Star Wars series was sold as a darker, more violent entry into the franchise and one that would feature more Siths than we’ve seen before. The first two episodes gave us no indication of that and, in all honesty, episode 3 doesn’t give us much hope that The...

Warning! This review contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 3.

The Acolyte episode 3 deepens the mystery with compelling flashbacks, both answering and raising more questions about Mae and Osha's past. The cast - particularly Lee Jung-jae, Lauren & Leah Brady, and Jodie Turner-Smith - impresses with stunning production design bringing Brendok to life. Episode 3 introduces philosophical debates on the Force, exploring moral gray areas between the Jedi and witches thrillingly.

The Acolyte episode 3 builds on the strong foundations of its premiere with an exceptional flashback episode, filled with compelling fantasy, excellent performances, and a deeper exploration of the show's philosophical themes. As of The Acolyte premiere's ending, I was left satisfied. I enjoyed what showrunner Leslye Headland was building, albeit with a few drawbacks in the pacing department. Nonetheless, after watching The Acolyte episodes 1 and 2, I was excited to see more, an excitement that was more than satiated thanks to the...

There will be spoilers for the third episode of "Star Wars: The Acolyte," so beware.

The third episode of "Star Wars: The Acolyte" transports us back in time 16 years to the days leading up to the tragedy that allowed Osha (played as an adult by Amandla Stenberg and as a child by Lauren & Leah Brady) to be taken by the Jedi and to assume her sister, Mae (played by the aforementioned acting trio) was dead. In the last episode, we watched Master Torbin die by suicide with the poison offered to him by Mae, rather than face the pain of living with the consequences of what happened that night sixteen prior. This episode shows us, from at least one point of view, what happened during that fateful encounter, but it also introduces us to the family of Mae and Osha.

Mae and Osha were born in a coven of witches...

Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Gaga Chromatica Ball, Star Wars: The Acolyte and The Garfield Movie.

The Garfield Movie premiere

Chris Pratt and Hannah Waddingham premiered their new Garfield movie in Hollywood on Sunday, as the iconic cat also had his paws immortalized in cement in front of the Tcl Chinese Theatre.

Hannah Waddingham, Chris Pratt and Garfield creator Jim Davis Danielle Misher (co-head, global theatrical marketing, Sony Pictures Entertainment), Josh Greenstein (president, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Motion Picture Group), Andrew A. Kosove (co-ceo, co-founder, Alcon Entertainment) and Broderick Johnson (co-ceo, co-founder, Alcon Entertainment)

Gaga Chromatica Ball premiere

Lady Gaga, appearing in two show-stopping looks, walked the red carpet and sat for a Q&a at the world premiere of her HBO concert special in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Lady Gaga

Star Wars: The Acolyte...