'The Acolyte' 'Star Wars' series: Everything we know (original) (raw)
Get ready to embark on a new adventure to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars' latest (and simultaneously oldest) show: The Acolyte.
The upcoming Disney+ series is set to take place roughly a century before the events of 2001's The Phantom Menace. While details surrounding its storyline are being kept locked away in carbonite, Lucasfilm previously described The Acolyte as "a mystery-thriller that will take the audience into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era."
Back in May, showrunner Leslye Headland characterized the idyllic era as "an age of wealth and innovation for the galaxy, with white-clad Jedi inspiring awe and the Dark Side of the Force seemingly erased from existence" in an interview with Vanity Fair. She also teased that the series will pull inspiration from the franchise's Expanded Universe, including its established collection of video games, comics, and novels.
"My question in watching The Phantom Menace was always like, 'Well, how did things get to this point?' Do you know what I mean?" Headland told the outlet. "How did we get to where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? What went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?"
Below is everything we know so far about The Acolyte.
Who will direct, write, and produce?
Headland (Russian Doll, Single Drunk Female) is listed as showrunner, writer, and executive producer on the series. No additional crew have been announced.
'The Acolyte' showrunner Leslye Headland teased that the series will pull inspiration from the franchise's expanded universe. Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Who has been cast so far?
Amandla Stenberg is set to star as The Acolyte's main protagonist, but they won't be embarking on their quest alone. The show's cast also includes Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lee Jung-jae, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, and Joonas Suotamo. Both Suotamo and Lee will be playing Jedis, with Suotamo playing the first-ever live-action Wookiee Jedi.
Footage shown at the 2023 Star Wars Celebration also showed The Matrix star Carrie-Anne Moss flexing her Force powers as well.
Amandla Stenberg, Manny Jacinto, and Jodie Turner-Smith are all set to star in 'The Acolyte'. Irvin Rivera/Getty Images; Rich Polk/Getty Images; Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
What is it about?
Details surrounding The Acolyte's storyline are hazy outside of its mystery-thriller genre and chronology within the Star Wars universe. However, we know from Star Wars installments set further into the future that the dark side of the Force does, inevitably, rise once again.
Headland revealed that she pitched the series to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy as "Frozen meets Kill Bill" during a panel at the 2023 Star Wars Celebration. She explained that the show will tell the story of a time within the galaxy when "the bad guys are outnumbered," adding, "They are the underdogs."
The show's title might also offer a hint at its darker direction — within the Star Wars canon, Jedi are known to take padawans under their wing, while the Sith equivalent is called an acolyte.
When will The Acolyte premiere on Disney+?
The Acolyte will premiere on Disney+ on June 4, 2024.
This article will be updated as more information comes in.
For interviews with the casts of Andor, Ahsoka_,_ The Mandalorian, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, make sure to check out EW's new Star Wars podcast, Dagobah Dispatch.
Related content: