You think the Star Wars universe is dark now? Just wait until The Acolyte arrives. Leslye Headland’s new series was just given a June 4th release date on Disney+ yesterday, and now we have our first real look at what Lucasfilm has been keeping secret since it was announced four years ago.
The Acolyte is set during the High Republic era, one that Star Wars has yet to explore. Leading the cast are multiple people of color, another aspect that has made this show one of the most anticipated in Lucasfilm’s history. Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, and Jodie Turner-Smith are just part of a large ensemble cast in a story set hundreds of years prior to the Skywalker Saga. The Jedi are at their strongest, but also vulnerable as the Dark Side grows in power.
Here’s the official synopsis: “An investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.”
Also in the cast are Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Ann Moss.
Is it okay for me to say The Acolyte might be the next great Star Wars series because it has a Jedi Wookie Master in it? That would be Suotamo, who played Chewbacca in the previous trilogy and now plays a character named Kelnacca. More, please!
