It was first reported last December but never given an official announcement until now as Disney and Lucasfilm have officially confirmed that Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) will lead the upcoming Disney+ series Star Wars: The Acolyte.
The Acolyte has been described as a “mystery-thriller that will take the audience into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.”
It will take place approximately 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace as showrunner Leslye Headland teased audiences would see how events at that time shaped the Republic enough for the Sith to eventually return and wipe out the Jedi.
Join us in welcoming Amandla Stenberg to the the Star Wars galaxy. #TheAcolyte https://t.co/PhriTUdZcv pic.twitter.com/LJp9LeZQik
— Star Wars (@starwars) July 22, 2022
Details on Stenberg’s character have not been revealed, but they will presumably portray the titular Acolyte, a Sith-in-training, as the story will focus on the Jedi’s eternal enemies and their nefarious plans for the galaxy.
While this will mark the first time The High Republic will be seen in live-action, this era of Star Wars has been explored in Lucasfilm’s The High Republic book series, which began with The Light of the Jedi. The initiative began in 2021 and already spans several novels ranging from young adult to adult genres. The second phase of The High Republic will begin later this year with Star Wars: The High Republic – Path of Descent by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.