THE ACOLYTE
OUT TBC
IT IS A period of civil war. Well, not quite, but it’s been an unpredictable time for small-screen Star Wars of late, with some shows (Andor) thrilling us, some (Ahsoka) sporadically hitting high points, and others, well, losing their shine. 2024, though, gives us a new hope. The second season of Andor promises political complications as the Rebellion grows, while the Amblin-ish Skeleton Crew stars a Jedi Jude Law and a bunch of kids on some post-Return Of The Jedi adventures. Freshest of the lot, though, may well be The Acolyte.
“Kill Bill meets Frozen” is how showrunner Leslye Headland (co-creator of wackadoodle time-loop series Russian Doll) pitched it to franchise caretaker Kathleen Kennedy, and if that isn’t enough for you (why the hell not?!), then here’s more. Set in the ostensibly peaceful High Republic era, 100 years before the prequels, with gold- and white-clothed Jedi in rude health and the Sith hiding in the shadows, it stars Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae as a couple of Jedi investigating criminal activity, Dafne Keen as a horned, mulleted alien Jedi, and Joonas Suotamo as a big furry Wookiee Jedi.
Showrunner Leslye Headland (right) with Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae on set.