Unlike anything we've seen before, the Acolyte is the latest addition to the Star Wars universe. The new series will hit Disney+ in June 2024 and will take us back, way back, into a darker version of the galaxy far, far away.
Set a century before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte will give fans a never-before-seen era from the Disney-created canon. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the plot of The Acolyte?
The Acolyte will glimpse a previously unexplored era of Star Wars lore, promising a mature and gritty storyline distinct from other Disney+ hits like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
Series creator Leslye Headland told Total Film that the show's plot would be more of a dark space opera mystery.
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"The Acolyte is a mystery. It’s similar to Russian Doll, which was really about giving the audience information episode by episode, this spiral of storytelling," Headland shared.
Here’s a quick rundown of the plot: a Jedi Master finds himself on a collision course with a deadly warrior from his past as he investigates a shocking crime spree. The deeper they dig, the more they uncover, leading them down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.
Expect More Action in The Acolyte
One of the most exciting aspects of The Acolyte is its focus on intense, martial arts-inspired action. The recently released trailer has fans buzzing about lightsaber battles that might just rival the iconic duel between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi from The Phantom Menace.
“It was very much: We want to top the Darth Maul fight — the most iconic fight, I think, in the Star Wars cinematic universe. It's such an amazing fight and we were all so excited about the saber fights.” Dafne Keen, who plays alien Jedi Jecki Lon, shared with Entertainment Weekly.
A Diverse Cast and New Characters
The Acolyte will be the most diverse Star Wars project ever and boasts an impressive cast, including Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-Jae, Carrie-Ann Moss, Manny Jacinto, Charlie Barnett, Dafne Keen, and Jodie Turner-Smith. Moss will portray Indora, a Jedi.
The series centres on Stenberg as Mae, a former padawan and the show's main protagonist. Lee plays Jedi Master Sol, while Jacinto plays Qimir, a reformed smuggler.
Unfortunately, we won't see familiar faces from the prequel trilogy since the story is set 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. But we can expect more new characters to pop up and add to the franchise's deep lore.
Headland hinted that more characters from the High Republic books would appear in future seasons, so there's plenty to look forward to.
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The Acolyte Release Date
The first two episodes of The Acolyte will be released on Disney+ on June 4. New episodes will be released weekly, for a total of eight episodes in the season.
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