The Acolyte showrunner, Leslye Headland, sat down with the Dagobah Dispatch podcast to talk about the series, and they made some bold claims about what fans will see when the series releases in 2024.
The Most Jedi
Leslye teased that her series will feature the most Jedi to ever be featured in live-action, which would be wild considering the arena battle in Attack of the Clones.
“And I just thought it was very interesting to do a show about the bad guys and to set that during that time period made the most sense. So I think that’s what sets it apart. It’s kind of almost flipped. We have more Jedi than you’ve seen in any other of the Star Wars content.”
Leslye Headland – DD
While there may be the most Jedi featured ever, it also sounds like these Jedi won’t be as black and white in regards to their morals.
“But at the same time, I think you see more morally ambiguous characters than you’ve seen in other Star Wars content. And I think I can say this pretty confidently: I don’t think you’re going to see action in other shows the way that you see it used and utilized in our show.”
Leslye Headland – DD
Timeline and Narrative Perspective
Headland also reminded fans that her series will be set during a timeline that has never been featured before in live-action, and that it will be told from the perspective of the bad guys.
“I would say that The Acolyte stands out because it is the earliest in the Star Wars timeline than we have ever been in live-action. We are towards the end of the High Republic, leading into the prequels, George [Lucas]’s prequels. So we are looking at a time period where the Jedi are at the height of their power, we’re looking at a time period where there is peace throughout the galaxy, and it was very challenging and interesting to make a Star Wars with no war in it.”
Leslye Headland – DD
Due to the timeline, there won’t be a major galactic conflict taking place, so the story will focus on the antagonists.
“Though, the question became, ‘Well, what should the show be about if it’s not going to be about galactic conflict?’ And I think that what makes this show different and interesting is that it’s from the perspective of the bad guys or the villains of Star Wars. These are people who are using the Force in their own way, dipping into the darker side of the Force, and are doing it without being sanctioned by the larger institution, which in this case is the Jedi. And I think that Star Wars is always about some version of the underdog vs. the institution.”
Leslye Headland – DD
This very may well be what could make The Acolyte one of the most memorable Star Wars properties to date, so hopefully the bad guys getting their time in the spotlight does just that.
Nick and I will talk more about The Acolyte on this week’s episode of the SWTS, so don’t forget to tune into the Star Wars Time Show on a weekly basis via our podcast platforms or via YouTube if you prefer the livestream angle.
