In a galaxy not so far away, a dark presence is stirring. The latest trailer for Star Wars’ upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte hints at a haunting mystery that will pull viewers into an unexplored era in the iconic sci-fi universe.
Set roughly a century before the events of The Phantom Menace, the live-action thriller from Russian Doll co-creator Leslye Headland follows an elite Jedi investigator (Lee Jung-jae) on the trail of a shocking crime spree targeting his fellow Force wielders. As more bodies start piling up, clues point to the involvement of a former Padawan (Amandla Stenberg) that the Jedi master seemingly has a complicated history with.
“Last night, a Jedi was murdered,” the ominous trailer opens, quickly establishing the sinister tone. As the pair traverse “a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems,” they encounter an array of intriguing characters, including a “force witch” portrayed by Jodie Turner-Smith and a snarky pilot (Manny Jacinto) skeptical of the Jedi order’s righteousness.
One of the most tantalizing reveals is a fleeting glimpse of the potential big bad – a menacing, helmeted figure igniting a red lightsaber amid shrouds of smoke. “What are you?” a Jedi master asks, perhaps hinting at the rise of a new Sith threat in this previously unexplored era known as the High Republic.
While keeping most story details under wraps, the gripping footage suggests The Acolyte could offer a fresh, mature take on the Star Wars mythos relatively unbounded by existing canon. Set during the High Republic period when the Jedi were abundant, the series appears poised to peel back the curtain on the ancient order’s darker underbelly.
Joining the stacked ensemble cast are Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo and Carrie-Anne Moss. Get Out composer Michael Abels provides the score.
Whether reinventing Star Wars as a space noir detective thriller or delivering something entirely new, The Acolyte seems primed to satiate fans’ thirst for original tales when it premieres June 4th with a two-episode debut on Disney+. As this ominous trailer shows, the High Republic era could be the perfect setting to explore the alluring mysteries of the Dark Side.
