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GeorgeLucas’Star Warsfranchise is not just a series of films and TV series but a giant sandbox of a universethat hasso many intriguing characters and storylines that almost everyone can relate to it. The series blends several genres into its stories, there‘sa little bit of everything for everyone. Moreover, the lore of The Jedis vs The Sithlords in a faraway galactic empire is what has appealed to thefranchise’sfans the most.
Even though the recent films have not performed well at the box office, the TV Series has captivated the fans. As a result, the franchise is focusing more on its TV series production and came up with a new series,The Acolyte.However, its creator had some strong words to share as she addressed the toxic fan base of the sci-fi franchise.
Leslye Headland Has Some Words For The ToxicStar WarsFans
GeorgeLucas’Star Warsfilm franchise has become a cultural phenomenon due to its unique storytelling and iconic characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Darth Vader, and many more in a richly detailed universe. Moreover,the use oflightsabers and blasters with unique sound effects has allowed the franchise to cement its place in pop culture.
Since the sci-fi film franchise has featureda lot ofmale characters from the beginning,certainfans are not delighted as they have been harassing the women in the roles. The newest series,TheAcolyte,is no exception as these so-called fans target the actresses.
“Now I need to know why Chewbacca doesn’t wear clothes”: Star Wars: The Acolyte Brings Back Iconic Wookie Jedi But Fans Have 1 Burning Question
Leslye Headland, the creator of the prequelseries,has opened up how the trolls are brutally attacking the franchise. As per reports fromThe New York Times, some trolls of the series have nicknamedHeadland’sseries“The Wokelyte”on theseries’trailer.
The news outlet reported that they conducted a brief telephonic interview withKathleen Kennedy,the President of Lucasfilms, has stated how Leslye Headland has limited her exposure to theStar Warscommunity because she wants to block the trolls, who pick on the women using derogatory terms. She said,
As a fanmyself, I know how frustrating some‘StarWars’storytelling in the past has been.I’vefelt it myself. I stand by my empathy for‘StarWars’fans. But I want to beclear. Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech…Idon’tconsider a fan.
Not being happy with a storyline isobviousfor the fans of theStar Warsfranchise becausethe story might not have been presentedwell. As a result, the project/s has not resonated well with thefans of the franchise. However, pushing back the franchise to Stage 1 is unacceptable.
Kathleen Kenndy Explains Why Working In A Giant Franchise Can Be“Terrifying”
In the same phone call interview, Kennedy explained thatthe idea ofstorytelling needs to be“representative of all people.”Sadly, creating such a giant franchise in this age has its own drawbacks due to its male-dominated fanbase.
My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people.That’san easy decision for me. Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation —it’sterrifying.
She added,
I think Leslye has struggled a little bit with it. I thinka lot of thewomen who step into‘StarWars’struggle with this a bit more.Becauseof the fan base beingsomale dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can bequitepersonal.
Indeed, working with age-old franchises can be a“terrifying”job because the fans would not forgive if the creators ruin their favorite franchise. However, Headland decided to create the TV seriesthat takes placefrom the beginning of theStar Warstimeline to avoid any already-established storylines in the franchise.
“Carrie-Anne Moss with a lightsaber doing Force-Fu is PERFECTION”: Star Wars Fans Have Nothing to Complain About After Watching the Sinister Plot of The Acolyte
Nevertheless, judging from what the trailer has showcased, the show looks quite promising and entertainingto watch.
The Acolytewill release on 04 August 2025 on Disney+.
Tushar Auddy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1784
Tushar Auddy is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, primarily covering WWE. He has contributed to anime, MCU, DCU, animation, and TV Series, giving sharp insights and coming up with his own unique theories, which take the fandom by storm.
