‘The Acolyte’ Trailer: Amandla Stenberg Fights Carrie-Anne Moss

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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The “Star Wars” universe is finally expanding further with Disney+ series “The Acolyte.”

The highly-anticipated show hails from “Russian Doll” creator Leslye Headland and stars “Bodies Bodies Bodies” breakout Amandla Stenberg as a Sith in training. The series is billed as 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,” per Disney+. “The Acolyte” takes place in the final days of the High Republic era of the “Star Wars” timeline, when the Republic and the Jedi are at their zenith and peace is the order of the day — though there may be seeds of the dark times to come.

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The official logline states, “An investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-Jae) 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.”

The series is the furthest back prequel for the live-action “Star Wars” franchise, taking place between the High Republic and the beginning of the prequel films.

Director Headland previously said during the 2023 “Star Wars” Celebration that the upcoming series is a “mix between ‘Frozen’ and ‘Kill Bill,’” with inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s features.

In addition to Stenberg, “The Acolyte” stars Jodie Turner-Smith, “Squid Game” Emmy winner Lee Jung-Jae, Manny Jacinto, Charlie Barnett, and Carrie-Anne Moss. “His Dark Materials” star Dafne Keen, “Inventing Anna” cast member Rebecca Henderson, and Dean-Charles Chapman of “Game of Thrones” and “1917” round out the cast.

Headland will showrun the series and directs the pilot; she also executive produces alongside Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson serve as producers.

Headland formerly revealed to the A.V. Club that she wanted a diverse writer’s room for the series that didn’t just strictly include “Star Wars” fans. “I literally had one writer that was like, ‘I have never seen any of them. I’ve never seen any “Star Wars” media,‘” Headland said. “And she’s texting me before we started the room, she’s like, ‘Luke and Leia are brother and sister, what the…?’ I really wanted an active conversation between my writers and myself, and not so much a room full of people that would kind of just automatically agree with what I say.”

“The Acolyte” premieres June 4 on Disney+. Check out the trailer below, and click here to see more details on other upcoming “Star Wars” series like “Skeleton Crew.”

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