The Acolyte – Cast, Plot, And More Info

It's been years since we last got a "Star Wars" theatrical feature, and at this point, it is clear that the galaxy far, far away is actually right there in your living room. Whether it's animated shows like "The Bad Batch" and "Tales of the Jedi," or the mega-success of "The Mandalorian" and the creative genius of "Andor," TV has allowed the franchise to experiment with tones and different kinds of stories in ways it was never able to before.

And yet, "Star Wars" is stagnating, particularly when it comes to the Mando-Verse. "The Book of Boba Fett" was an utter disappointment, and the third season of "The Mandalorian" functioned as a mixed bag. Thankfully, "Star Wars" is soon expanding further beyond the Mando-Verse, and there is arguably no other "Star Wars" title as exciting as "The Acolyte," which promises to introduce a new time period and a new kind of "Star Wars" protagonist.

Ahead of its release, here is everything fans might want to know about the latest chapter in the history of "Star Wars."

Many Bothans died to bring the world information about the release of "The Acolyte," but unfortunately they seem to have only brought half the information with them. Though 2022 was the year of "Star Wars" TV, giving us "Andor," Machete in space, a Count Dooku prequel, and much more, 2023 is seeing the Mando-Verse head towards its conclusion, with "The Mandalorian" season 3, "Ahsoka," and "Skeleton Crew" all releasing in the same year.

But that is just the start. "The Acolyte" is set to begin a new era for the franchise when it releases at some point in 2024. Given it is one of the only "Star Wars" projects we know will come out in the foreseeable future, there is a lot riding on "The Acolyte."

The most exciting thing about "The Acolyte" is its setting. This will be the first live-action project set during the High Republic era of "Star Wars," approximately 100 years before the events of "The Phantom Menace," a time that's referred to as the Camelot of the franchise (even the lightsabers look like medieval swords). At this time, the Jedi were not corrupt space cops, but genuine chivalrous knights, peacekeepers, and explorers expanding the borders of the Republic. As showrunner Leslye Headland said in an interview earlier this year, "We are looking at a time period where the Jedi are at the height of their power." 

It is also a time of great peace (compared to what we know of other "Star Wars" stories). Because this is long before the rise of Emperor Palpatine, the Sith have not been heard of in centuries, which allows "The Acolyte" to present a new perspective. "What makes this show different and interesting is that it's from the perspective of the villains of 'Star Wars,'" said Headland. "These are people who are using the Force in their own way, dipping into the darker sides of the Force and are doing it without being sanctioned by the larger institution, which, in this case, is the Jedi." Indeed, this is the first time the protagonists are the bad guys, and that alone makes this one of the most unique and fresh "Star Wars" stories ever.

"The Acolyte" is poised to have one of the most stacked "Star Wars" cast out there, on par with the feature films. Because of the High Republic time period, a lot of the actors will play Jedi. 

The show is set to star Amandla Stenberg ("Bodies Bodies Bodies") as the main protagonist. Stenberg is joined by Dafne Keen ("Logan"), Rebecca Henderson ("Single Drunk Female"), Charlie Barnett ("Russian Doll"), Dean-Charles Chapman ("Game of Thrones"), Manny Jacinto ("The Good Place"), Carrie-Anne Moss ("The Matrix"), and even "Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae all as Jedi, with Jodie Turner-Smith ("Queen & Slim") and Margarita Levieva ("The Deuce") rounding out the main cast.

While that is already a lot of Jedi, there is one more — arguably the most exciting one. Joonas Suotamo, who played Chewbacca in the sequel trilogy, is set to play Kelnacca, the first live-action Wookiee Jedi master. Fans of Gungi, and of the High Republic's Burryaga Agaburry, should be very happy about this news, because the only thing cooler than a Wookiee is a Wookiee with a lightsaber.

Though we don't have a specific crew list just yet, we have some details about the show. "The Acolyte" is created Leslye Headland, co-creator of "Russian Doll," who serves as showrunner, head writer, and executive producer for "The Acolyte." Though we don't have a full list of directors just yet, we do know that acclaimed director Kogonada ("After Yang") will direct at least one episode — as revealed by his "After Yang" star Jodie Turner-Smith. Alex García López ("Daredevil") will also reportedly step behind the camera for an episode, and considering Headland's directing experience on projects ranging from "Russian Doll" to "Bachelorette," it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see her direct a few episodes as well.

Though details about the writers' room are scarce, we know Headland teased that she wanted a mix of hardcore fans and at least one writer with zero prior knowledge of "Star Wars". 

Sadly, there isn't a trailer for "The Acolyte" just yet, and there isn't even an official image for the show aside from the one at the very top of this page. Given the release date is still several months away, we'll probably have to wait a while for a trailer. 

That being said, some lucky fans have already seen footage of "The Acolyte" at Star Wars Celebration earlier this year. /Film was present when the footage was shown, which includes a bunch of Jedi younglings being trained by Jung-jae's character, with the footage having a bit of a "The Matrix" tone, with lots of Wuxia-inspired fights, shots of a Neimoidian (perhaps teasing a Trade Federation story), a chase between a Jedi and a Sith-looking assassin, and even a look at a yellow lightsaber.