Key Takeaways:
– The Acolyte, a Star Wars series, has received negative audience ratings despite praise from critics.
– Kathleen Kennedy and the series creator, Leslye Headland, blame male-dominated fandom for the backlash.
– The standout performance of Lee Jung-jae as Jedi Master Sol is appreciated by the audience.
– Kennedy's claim on fandom's response is critically questioned by fans, with references to other successful, male-dominated projects.
– It is important for Star Wars creators to offer compelling content that does justice to the story.
Dismal Ratings of The Acolyte
In recent headlines, The Acolyte, the latest Star Wars web series on Disney+, has received crushing criticism from audiences. This new series took a shift from the usual narrative we see in the Star Wars universe, ditching the traditional for the unconventional. However, this bold move hasn't won over the fans. On Rotten Tomatoes, a staggering difference between critics' scores (84%) and audience ratings (14%) reflects the controversy surrounding the series.
Headland and Kennedy hit back at Fandom
The series creator, Leslye Headland, made her mark as the first woman to create a show for Star Wars. Despite this achievement, the audience reception was unimpressive. Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy, and Headland blamed the largely male fanbase for the negative reception. Both have stated that fans engaging in “racism, bigotry, or hate speech” are not true fans of the franchise in their eyes.
Lee Jung-Jae as the saving grace
In all this negativity, one actor is receiving immense praise – Lee Jung-jae. The Squid Game actor, despite receiving his first English-language role as Jedi Master Sol, is celebrated by the fans. His performance got thumbs up even from fans who didn't enjoy the rest of the show. For the role, Jung-jae trained under two dialect coaches and was inspired by Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn.
Fans disagree with Kennedy's claim
The Star Wars universe has seen its fair share of ups and downs post Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm. Kathleen Kennedy, who has faced a lot of criticism from fans previously, stirred controversy with her remarks blaming the fanbase for the series's failure. Fans challenged her views by pointing out the success of several projects like Rogue One, Aliens, and Tomb Raider, which were celebrated by the same male-dominated fanbase.
The bottom line
There's no arguing that toxic fans exist in any fandom. But they do not represent the entire fanbase. The mostly negative backlash that The Acolyte received indicates that fans will rally around a project if the story holds up, regardless of the characters' diversity. The tremendous response to Jung-jae's performance is a prime example.
Going forward, Star Wars creators must balance diversity with compelling storytelling. The audience is ready to appreciate the variety if it's done right. With the forthcoming film featuring Rey from the Sequel Trilogy, let's see if the creators can shake things up. After all, remember, all of Star Wars can be enjoyed on Disney+.
