Disney Blew $230.8 Million on Scrapped Star Wars Series The Acolyte

Disney spent the kind of money you usually reserve for movies on The Acolyte, and then canceled it anyway. Yes, that sting you feel is the sound of a quarter-billion dollars disappearing into hyperspace.

The money, in plain English

• Total cost tallied in UK filings: £190.8 million. At the time those filings were made, that converted to about $230.8 million; at today’s exchange rate, it’s roughly $256.7 million.
• Those filings aren’t 100% complete yet, but per Forbes, what’s left to add is minimal. Translation: this is basically the full bill.
• Because the show shot in the UK, Disney booked $43.8 million in production incentives. After that rebate, Disney’s net spend lands around $187 million.
• The exact budget baked into the plan was never spelled out publicly, but a prior Forbes report says production stayed on target up to the start of filming and then blew past the number once cameras rolled, even before post was finished.

If you’re wondering how a show can be the second-most watched thing on Disney Plus in 2024 and still get axed, welcome to the weird math of streaming. The Acolyte pulled a big audience by the platform’s own rankings, but Disney still cited low viewership relative to what it needed. And the show ended on a massive cliffhanger, which makes the timing even more brutal.

Small inside baseball note: those UK credits are how a lot of productions make the economics work. Even with that $43.8 million back, $187 million is a towering price tag for a single season.

As for the people who made it: Manny Jacinto, who played the enigmatic Sith Lord known as the Stranger (aka Qimir), would happily suit up again if the galaxy calls.

"Always, always hopeful. I would love to run it back... A lot of fans out there being like, 'We love The Acolyte!' Like, 'Qimir come back!' Things like that, it’s all love and it’s so special. We’ll put it out there. Fingers crossed."

The cast also included Amandla Stenberg pulling double duty as twins Osha and Mae, Lee Jung-jae as Sol, Charlie Barnett as Yord, and Dafne Keen as Jecki.

What’s next on the Star Wars front: The Mandalorian & Grogu hits theaters on May 22. After that, if you’re mapping out what to watch, check our guide to every upcoming Star Wars movie and show.