‘Star Wars’ Taps ‘The Hunger Games’ Star For Upcoming 'The Acolyte' Series
By Kristin Myers on December 9, 2021 at 9:30 AM EST
Fans of “Star Wars” have a good reason to be excited!
Fans have been waiting for news of what’s next for the Disney+ live-action series “The Acolyte” ever since news of its development was announced during Disney Investor Day in 2020.
The series is currently being developed by Leslye Headland, who will serve as the show’s writer, executive producer, and showrunner.
During its announcement, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy teased, “Leslye Headland, Emmy-nominated creator of the mind-bending series Russian Doll, is a boldly innovative filmmaker bringing her new Star Wars series to Disney+. The Acolyte is a mystery thriller that will take us into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging Dark Side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.”
Rayne Roberts is set to co-develop the series along with Headland.
What Is ‘The Acolyte’ Going To Be About?
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In “Star Wars” terminology, an acolyte is a novice Sith who has just begun their training under a Sith Lord, like what a Padawan would be to a Jedi. This story will take place prior to Sith Lord Darth Bane developing the infamous Rule of Two, which means that the story will take place in a new part of the “Star Wars” timeline that has never been covered by shows or films before.
The High Republic era ended approximately fifty years before the events of “The Phantom Menace,” where Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) finds a young Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine. He takes Anakin Skywalker in to be raised as a Jedi but finds himself cut down by Sith Lord Darth Maul (Ray Park). In the next two films in the prequel series, Anakin (Hayden Christensen) is raised by Qui-Gon’s apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) before he becomes the Sith Lord Darth Vader.
As a quick reminder, the infamous “Rule of Two” is a rule that states that only two Sith can exist at one time: master and apprentice.
Who Is Going To Be Starring In ‘The Acolyte’?
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Although nothing is confirmed, Variety reported that Amandla Stenberg is currently “in talks” to join the cast. Stenberg would be the first cast member attached to the project, although it’s not yet clear if Stenberg will play the infamous titular Acolyte.
Stenberg, who identifies as non-binary, is best-known to audiences as playing young Rue in the first film of “The Hunger Games” franchise, opposite Jennifer Lawrence. Since that time, Stenberg has gone on to star in “Where Hands Touch,” “The Darkest Minds,” “Everything, Everything,” and “The Hate U Give.”
The 23-year-old talent was included on TIME’s Most Influential Teens list in both 2015 and 2016. Stenberg has also won several awards, including a Teen Choice Award, an NAACP Image Award, and nominations for a Critics’ Choice Award and four Black Reel Awards.
Although talks are ongoing, that’s not the only news “Star Wars” fans have to be happy about. The “Ahsoka” live-action series just cast their Sabine Wren, who is making her first live-action appearance from “Star Wars: Rebels” and will be joining Rosario Dawson’s titular Ahsoka Tano on-screen sometime in 2023.
In the meantime, fans can also look forward to McGregor’s “Kenobi” and Diego Luna’s “Andor,” which are both expected to stream on Disney+ in 2022, along with season 3 of “The Mandalorian.”
“The Mandalorian” sister series, starring TemueraMorrison and Ming-Na Wen as Boba Fett and Fennec Shand, respectively, will be making its debut in only a few short weeks, on December 29, 2021.
