5 reasons to get excited about The Acolyte

Here are all the reasons to get excited about the latest Star Wars show to join the ranks of the galaxy, The Acolyte.

The Jedi trying to defend the galaxy from the growing strength of the dark side is a story often told in George Lucas’ universe. The Acolyte will revisit this tale yet again, and is set to premiere on June 4, 2024 on Disney Plus.

The Acolyte could very well bring about a fresh era for Star Wars’ small screen ventures. From explorations of the dark side, a promising creative team, and early fan hopes, there’s plenty of reasons for us to think this could be a real winner.

While we await its arrival, here are five reasons for why you should get excited about the newest series on the block.

1. It’ll include the perspective of a Sith

We already know that The Acolyte will take place during the High Republic era of the Star Wars timeline. In the canon, this is an era of peace within the galaxy, where the Sith were believed to be extinct. However, based on the show’s description, fans suspect not all is well.

Here’s the official synopsis: “In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….”

This implies that the Jedi Master will be coming face-to-face with an old Padawan of his. Even more likely, it’ll see Stenberg’s character enrolled into the dark side of the Force. As such, the show will undoubtedly feature the rise in Sith power across the galaxy, beginning the slow takeover that will eventually come to pass in The Phantom Menace.

2. It’ll be the most action-packed Star Wars show to date

According to one of The Acolyte’s stars, Manny Jacinto, the upcoming Star Wars project will bring a whole new brand of action to the franchise. When Star Wars emphasizes well-crafted and considered action sequences, things really are at their best, so this all sounds very promising.

“It’s that action,” he told ScreenRant. “The guys that have done our action are on another level, and it’s something that I feel like we’ve kind of been missing out on in the Star Wars universe.

“It’s how Leslye described it; that Kill Bill aspect of it. It’s as raw as we can go, considering it’s Disney, but it’s the physicality of things. We’re hopefully gonna take it to the next level.”

3. It’s got a top-notch team behind it

If there’s one thing Star Wars fans are extremely strict on, it’s who gets their hands on their beloved franchise. Over time, the response to the teams behind the Star Wars movies and TV shows has ranged wildly, with every single fan having a different idea of who they’d love to see helm a Star Wars project.

Enter: Leslye Headland, the creator of The Acolyte. After previously co-creating the hit Netflix series Russian Doll alongside Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler, Headland seems like the perfect choice to put an unexpected spin on the all too familiar Star Wars universe.

But that’s not all. The Acolyte cast also gives reason to get excited, since it’s got more than a few familiar faces. Amandla Stenberg co-leads the newest adventure, who fans will know from The Hunger Games and Bodies Bodies Bodies. Joining her is star of the Netflix phenomenon Squid Game, Lee Jung-jae.

Add in Manny Jacinto, Carrie-Anne Moss, Dafne Keen, and Jodie Turner-Smith, and that’s one strong cast behind The Acolyte.

4. It’s giving hope to Star Wars fans

When the official poster dropped on March 18, it became clear that fans were gunning for The Acolyte to become a gem in Star Wars’ small screen collection. In recent years, faith in the Star Wars TV universe has faded slightly. While Andor reached great heights of popularity and fan appreciation, others — such as Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi — failed to replicate that achievement.

Those who are still riding the wave of adrenaline from Andor’s critical success are clearly hoping for a repeat with this new show.

From the small hint of the series they were given, fans ran wild with the idea that this could serve as another good Star Wars series.

“We’re about to be so back in ways that we could have never imagined,” said one fan over on X. “I can’t lie, this goes very hard,” another wrote.

“Peak Star Wars is back,” said one comment, while another added: “This might be the best Star Wars poster since Phantom Menace.”

5. The trailer suggests we’re going back to basics

On March 19, the first trailer for The Acolyte dropped, bringing about a whole new wave of hype. You can watch it for yourself below:

New characters aside, we can’t help but think that this new series seems to be pulling elements from tried and tested Star Wars stories. A master-apprentice battle, the murders of the Jedi, intense lightsaber fight sequences… check, check, and check.

There’s even glimpses of Jedi in training under Lee Jung-jae’s Master. (Everyone had better leave those little younglings alone, for real.) What’s more, the trailer ends on a tense scene: a red lightsaber flying through the air without a user, as a line of Jedi prepare to attack. If this is truly the action-packed, samurai film-inspired adventure it’s looking to be, then we might be in for a real treat.

For more on the latest Star Wars TV shows, check out our guides to Tales of the Jedi Season 2, Andor Season 2, and Ahsoka Season 2.