We saw the first trailer of “Star Wars: The Acolyte” during the Star Wars Celebration in London in April 2023. Since then, fans from all over the world have been waiting for the official release of a preview; After all, showrunner Leslye Headland’s series is highly anticipated.
Because it takes us to the world of the High Republic, which so far has only been explored in novels, comics and the animated series ‘Star Wars: The Adventures of the Young Jedi’. Set approximately 100 years before the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, the Jedi find themselves at the height of the Force and overseeing peace across the galaxy. But the Sith operate in secret and work towards their return…
“The Acolyte”: “Frozen” meets “Kill Bill”
The main character, played by Amandla Stenberg, finds herself in the middle of this scenario. The former Padawan meets her former master (“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae) when he is assigned to investigate a series of brutal murders of Jedi. They encounter forces far darker than they ever imagined.
Series creator Leslye Headland compared her concept in the past to two very different films: the animated classic ‘Frozen’ and ‘Kill Bill’. What exactly she means by this can only be speculated. However, it has long been rumored that Stenberg takes on a dual role and embodies twin sisters: one grew up with the Sith, the other with the Jedi. Such a story of two sisters would be reminiscent of the Disney hit.
The series may combine the action with Quentin Tarantino’s epic. Because “The Acolyte” should not only offer an incredible amount of Jedi and therefore lightsaber duels, but also a lot of martial arts action. A force user, played by “Matrix” star Carrie-Anne Moss, is known for forgoing her order’s classic weapons and fighting with her bare hands.
‘The Acolyte’ also promises an interesting new perspective. While in the ‘Star Wars’ titles the light side is usually in an underdog position, for example having to assert itself against a powerful empire, here the roles are reversed. The Jedi have watched over the Republic for hundreds of years and are powerful, influential, and well-connected. The Sith, on the other hand, are the inferior outsiders…
In addition to the actors already mentioned, Jodie Turner-Smith (“Queen & Slim”), Manny Jacinto (“Top Gun: Maverick”), Dafne Keen (“Logan: The Wolverine”), Rebecca Henderson (“Single Drunk Female”) Dean-Charles Chapman (“Game Of Thrones”) and Margarita Levieva (“The Deuce”) are among the cast of the series.
“Star Wars: The Acolyte” launches on Disney+ in the US on June 4, 2024 and in Germany on June 5 in the early morning hours. There are two episodes to start with, followed by a new episode every week. Here we also have the trailer in the original English version for you: