Even if you’re a Star Wars fan, there’s a lot of mystery surrounding the new Disney Plus show, “The Acolyte,” created by “Russian Doll” writer Leslye Headland. However, there’s been some speculation that it could mark the end of the High Republic era. It’s time to get up to speed on the latest chapter of the Star Wars franchise.
Let’s discuss what we know so far about the new series “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” including the plot, characters, a release date, and where you can watch it.
When Is the Expected Release Date of “Star Wars: The Acolyte?”
It might be a little while before “The Acolyte” premieres. While the live-action series was announced during 2020 Disney Investor Day, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy indicated a couple of other new Star Wars shows being prepped for production.
There’s every possibility that production will happen in 2022, meaning the show might not premiere until late 2022 or sometime in 2023.
Where Can You Watch “Star Wars: The Acolyte?”
“The Acolyte” series will be a Disney Plus production, so you can catch all of the episodes on Disney Plus when it’s released. If you don’t have an account yet, you can currently subscribe for $7.99 a month.
What Will “Star Wars: The Acolyte” Be About?
Details are scarce at the moment about what exactly “The Acolyte” series will be about. However, the show’s official description gives a few hints about what to expect. According to the official announcement, “The Acolyte” is 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.”
If “The Acolyte” series is set in the final days of the High Republic era, then that means it’ll be a prequel to the Skywalker saga — about two centuries ahead in the Star Wars timeline. This period has only been explored in a few books and comics, making it all the more uncertain how Leslye Headland intends to weave the show’s narrative.
From what we know about that time period from the comic books and other Star Wars series, there were a lot of Jedis during that period. Thus, “The Acolyte” series may feature the Jedis warring against villains who pose a threat to the peace of the Galactic Republic. Such villains include the Sith and, as we’ve seen, there could be Jedis who fall from grace and stray toward the dark side.
What Characters Can We Expect in “The Acolyte?”
There isn’t much information available yet on the characters of “The Acolyte.” Still, as mentioned, the series may feature:
Sith Lords:
Like other Star War series, “The Acolyte” may feature a sect known as the Sith. The Sith are an ancient order of people who tend toward the dark side and have been ancient enemies of the Jedi. Although they hid during the High Republic era, we may find out what they have been up to in “The Acolyte” series. And if the series features the Siths, one of the main characters to expect could be the Sith Lord — the one who rules and commands the Sith forces. There have been a couple of Sith Lords introduced so far, including Darth Bane (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”), Darth Plagueis (mentioned in “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”), Darth Sidious (“Star Wars: The Empires Strike Back”), Darth Maul (“Star Wars: The Phantom Menace”), Darth Tyranus (“Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”), and Darth Vader (first appeared in “Star Wars: A New Hope”).
Jedi Masters:
The Jedi, also known as the Knights of the Jedi Order or Jedi Knights, are a noble order in the Galactic Republic. They are protagonists known for protecting the Republic and ensuring peace and justice. Being a prominent part of the High Republic era, the Jedi most likely will feature in “The Acolyte” series. If that’s the case, one of the characters to expect in the series is a Jedi Master. Some Jedi Masters featured in Star Wars include Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker.
About the Main Character of “Star Wars: The Acolyte”
The latest information that is available on the casting for “The Acolyte” TV show is that of the role of the lead character. It’s reported that Lucasfilm is looking to have the lead character played by a woman of color who’s in her late teens or early 20s.
The lead character is rumored to go by the name Aura. The name may be a code name the production team intends to use to keep the character’s real identity a mystery until the show finally premieres, or it could be her real name, too. Only time will tell, at this point.
Rumor has it that award-winning American actress and singer Amandla Stenberg is in talks with Lucasfilm to feature as one of the cast in the TV series. While it’s not yet clear what role she might play, she seems to fit the above description of the kind of character Lucasfilm is seeking for the lead role. Amandla made her debut on TV screens when she featured in the action-thriller “Colombiana” (2011), playing the role of the child character of the avenging assassin Cataleya Restrepo.
She has since gone on to feature in several other movies and TV shows, including “The Hunger Games” (2012), “Sleepy Hollow” (2013), and “As You Are” (2016), to mention a few.
Who Is the Director of “The Acolyte?”
Certainly, a TV show of this class deserves a reputable director, and Leslye Headland fits the bill.
Leslye is a writer and producer and has been nominated for two Emmys, as well as a couple of other nominations.
She’s known for her work on “About Last Night” (2014), “Sleeping With Other People” (2015), and the Netflix comedy “Russian Doll” (2019), among others.
The “Russian Doll” executive producer and showrunner won’t just be the executive director of “The Acolyte;” she’ll also serve as the writer and showrunner of the TV show.
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Are you excited about what’s to come from Leslye Headland? Are you looking forward to the next season of “The Mandalorian” and the upcoming series “The Book of Boba Fett?” Keep checking back for the latest news on “The Acolyte” and everything Star Wars with BuddyTV. We’ll also keep you updated with new and exciting information about your other favorite shows and movies so you know what you can look forward to in the Star Wars franchise and beyond.
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
