Why ‘The Acolyte’ Doesn’t Reflect Its $180 Million Budget Compared to Other Star Wars Projects, ‘Furiosa,’ and ‘House of The Dragon’ Despite Being Bigger

‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ is the latest installment in the franchise, premiering three weeks ago amidst significant review-boosting and review-bombing. It has become infamous for its controversial elements, including canon-breaking decisions and a substantial $180 million budget for eight episodes, each around 45 minutes long.

Despite its hefty budget, some question whether ‘The Acolyte’ justifies its cost. While featuring impressive action sequences and VFX, recent episodes have been criticized for minimal development and sparse lightsaber action.

Recently, one of the show’s writers explained that Kelnacca’s death couldn’t be shown on-screen due to budget constraints and the need to maintain point-of-view integrity. This statement didn’t sit well with fans, many of whom criticized the show for looking cheap. So, let’s compare it with recent hits and past Star Wars installments.

According to Forbes, ‘The Acolyte’ allocated $49 million to pre-production, leaving $130 million for principal photography, reshoots, and post-production. While the $180 million budget for eight episodes is significant, it’s not the highest for a Star Wars series; ‘Andor’ holds that title with a $250 million budget for twelve episodes. Both series benefited from UK tax breaks, which allowed for larger budgets.

Compared to Disney+ Star Wars series produced in California such as ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘The Book of Boba Fett,’ ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi,’ and ‘Ahsoka,’ ‘The Acolyte’ and ‘Andor’ received notably higher budgets. The upcoming series ‘Skeleton Crew,’ slated to follow ‘The Acolyte,’ has a reported budget of $136 million, also benefiting from California tax credits.

In contrast, the combined budgets of classic Star Wars films like ‘A New Hope,’ ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’ totaled approximately $74 million—significantly less than half of ‘The Acolyte’s’ budget.

The prequel films ‘The Phantom Menace,’ ‘Attack of the Clones,’ and ‘Revenge of the Sith’ each had budgets of around $115 million, which still fell short of ‘The Acolyte’s’ budget for its eight 45-minute episodes. In contrast, the recently released ‘House of the Dragon,’ known for its high costs associated with dragons, reportedly had a budget of $130 million for its second season of eight episodes, managing to keep costs under $20 million per episode. Comparing these two shows, ‘House of the Dragon’ presents itself as a true cinematic spectacle with intricate scenery, impressive VFX, and elaborate costumes when juxtaposed with ‘The Acolyte.’

‘Furiosa,’ despite its intricate action scenes, had a more modest budget of $168 million. While the film didn’t dominate the box office, it garnered praise from both critics and audiences alike.

In ‘The Acolyte,’ many scenes are dominated by tight close-ups, lacking the expansive wide angles that enhance visual storytelling. This style is often associated with low-budget productions lacking experienced directors and cinematographers. Additionally, there are concerns with dialogue that can be both written and delivered in a humorous manner.

With four episodes remaining, there’s still a chance for ‘The Acolyte’ to justify its $180 million budget. What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments below!