The Acolyte has arrived, heralding the end of the High Republic and the future of Star Wars

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The beginning of the end is here. The Acolyte — the latest Star Wars project from Disney+, and arguably the most anticipated Star Wars story since Andor — has arrived, bringing with it a glimpse into an era of Star Wars lore never before seen on screen, a century before the prequel trilogy… and potentially the start of the downfall of the Jedi Order as a series of murders get investigated, uncovering secrets and mysteries long hidden. (Not least of which being what could be a big deal for Star Wars lore, truth be told.) Want to know more, and quickly? We’re here to tell you everything we know.

What is Star Wars' The Acolyte about?

Set roughly 100 years prior to the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte explores an insidious conspiracy during a time of peace for the Jedi. Lucasfilm released a plot synopsis of the series that reads as follows:

"In Star Wars: The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems…"

That synopsis itself is somewhat misleading, intentionally — but without wanting to spoil the show too much, we’ll just say that Amanda Stenberg plays a former Jedi padawan who reunites with her former Jedi teachers when they start getting murdered, one by one. Who is responsible? That’s a more complicated answer than it initially seems, to put it mildly…

Who is in the Star Wars: Acolyte cast?

The principal cast of The Acolyte is as follows:

• Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give)
• Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim)
• Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game)
• Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers)
• Dafne Keen (Logan, His Dark Materials)
• Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna)
• Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll)
• Dean-Charles Chapman (1917)
• Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix)
• Margarita Levieva (In From The Cold)
• Joonas Suotamo (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

Who are these actors playing? We’re glad you asked, because Lucasfilm took to social media to introduce the characters at the heart of the new story:

https://x.com/starwars/status/1795485464084017385 https://x.com/starwars/status/1795485482572480526 https://x.com/starwars/status/1795485504173228401 https://x.com/starwars/status/1795485581214179831 https://x.com/starwars/status/1795485681009233991

The reveals came as a marker that the series was one week away from release, to build anticipation. And when one of the characters in the show is a “solitary” “loner” Wookiee Jedi, you know that’s something everyone is going to be anticipating pretty damn hard. It should be pointed out that there’s some level of misdirection in the announcements, but that’s entirely in keeping in the purposefully deceptive approach to the series…

Again, we’re not spoiling anything before people have watched the show. Those who know, know.

Who is creating Star Wars' The Acolyte?

The Acolyte is headed up by Russian Doll's Leslye Headland, acting as showrunner, director of the first episode, and executive producer.

Other writers on the series are Jason Micallef, Charmaine DeGraté, Jasmyne Flournoy and Eileen Shim, Claire Kiechel, Kor Adana, Cameron Squires, Jocelyn Bioh, Jen Richards, and Jasmyne Flournoy.

Other executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGraté and Kor Adana serve as co-executive producers, while Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are listed as producers.

Headland will also direct the first two episodes of the series, then Kogonada, Alex Garcia Lopez, and Hanelle Culpepper are taking turns in the director's chair for the rest of the series.

And finally, providing the music for The Acolyte is composer Michael Abels, known for his work on Jordan Peele projects Get Out and Us.

Is there a Star Wars: The Acolyte trailer?

There were not just one Acolyte trailer, but two:

There are also a couple of behind-the-scenes shorts from a sizzle reel that have been released publicly:

Oh, and there's also this clip of a fight scene, too...

How many Star Wars' The Acolyte episodes are there?

As confirmed by the press release mentioned earlier, The Acolyte will run for eight episodes. There's a possibility, like all TV shows, that it could be renewed for a second season.

What was The Acolyte release date?

As we reported, the release date for The Acolyte was June 4, 2024, with new episodes debuting weekly until July 16.

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