'The Acolyte' shatters Disney+ premiere day record
What's the story
Disney+'s new Star Wars series, The Acolyte, has set a record by garnering 4.8M views on its premiere day, June 4.
This marks the biggest series premiere on Disney+ for the year.
The viewership data was released just a day after streaming began, reflecting Disney+'s confidence in the show's potential for continued success.
Viewership race
'The Acolyte' on track to surpass 'Ahsoka' viewership
The Acolyte is poised to exceed the viewership of another Star Wars series, Ahsoka, which attracted 14M views in its first five days.
To achieve this, The Acolyte must maintain similar viewership numbers over the weekend.
For comparison, Ahsoka averaged 2.8M viewers per day in its initial five days—2M less than The Acolyte's launch day figures.
Show synopsis
'The Acolyte': A mystery-thriller in the 'Star Wars' universe
Created by Lesley Headland, known for Russian Doll, The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller set during the final days of the High Republic era.
The plot centers on a former Padawan who teams up with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, leading them to confront forces more sinister than they ever expected.
The cast features prominent actors such as Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dafne Keen, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Critical acclaim
'The Acolyte' praised for unique spin on 'Star Wars' lore
Variety critic Alison Herman lauded The Acolyte for its "willingness to put its own spin on hallowed lore," comparing it to other Star Wars series like Andor and The Last Jedi.
She highlighted that the series is "propelled by plentiful action, much of it hand-to-hand combat heavily inflected with martial arts."
Herman also noted that the action is rooted in conflicts with stakes both large and small for characters viewers quickly come to care about.