Despite delivering some big hits on Disney+, it still feels like the Star Wars franchise is in a state of flux. It's no secret that a number of movies are in the works, but none of them have confirmed release dates (aside from Rogue Squadron which, quite clearly, isn't going to meet that December 2023 slot).
After Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and the sequel trilogy in general, disappointed fans, it's fair to say now might be a good time for Lucasfilm to shift its focus to other eras in this Galaxy Far, Far Away.
That will be the case on Disney+, anyway, and one such project is The Acolyte. Vanity Fair (via SFFGazette.com) has shared new details on the project today, confirming that it's currently in the casting phase. Showrunner Leslye Headland tells the site writing is pretty much done, and confirms that events will take place during the High Republic Era roughly 100 years prior to what we saw in The Phantom Menace.
"A lot of those characters haven’t even been born yet. We’re taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don’t know much about," she explains. "My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’ How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment?"
The Acolyte is described as a mystery thriller, taking place at a time when the Galaxy appears to be largely at peace and a little more refined than in later movies. "We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment," Headland says. "The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it’s almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about. The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that’s how little they’re getting into skirmishes."
The site also makes mention of a project codenamed "Grammar Rodeo," revealing that it pays homage to the episode of The Simpsons where Bart and his friends steal a car and run away for a week, using an educational event as cover. This untitled series takes place after Return of the Jedi, and Spider-Man: No Way Home director Jon Watts is credited as creator and executive producer.
Joining him is writer Chris Ford (Spider-Man: Homecoming), and a casting notice has gone out for four children, around 11 to 12 years old. It's said that inside Lucasfilm, "the show is being described as a galactic version of classic Amblin coming-of-age adventure films of the '80s."
In the same report, it's noted that Andor will arrive on Disney+ this summer, The Mandalorian is eyeing a late 2022/early 2023 debut, and Ahsoka, as expected, will premiere next year.
Stay tuned to SFFGazette.com for updates.