Star Wars: The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland has uncovered how The Phantom Menace propelled the series.
The Acolyte is set in the High Republic era, which is around 200 years before the prequels. Headland discussed why she was keen in that time period specifically, disclosing to TheWrap that The Phantom Menace released at a formative time in her life, and specifying the inquiries the film raised for her.
“I actually was very intrigued by why George Lucas had started us at that particular point,” she explained. “I kind of wondered, but what happened to lead up to this? That’s kind of where my Star Wars fan brain went was like, ‘How did we get here?’ And why are the Jedi like this? When they are in power, why are they acting this way and how is it that they’re not having the reaction that you would think they would to Anakin’s presence and what Qui-Gon Jinn is saying about how passionately he feels about training him and bringing him into the fold.”
She continued: “It’s like, even the discovery of Darth Maul is kind of met with this like, ‘Hm, interesting’ kind of feeling. So I just think for me, my brain has always buzzed around that area and wondered what’s going on here – or what has been going on here.”
Very little is thought about The Acolyte right now, however we do realize it will be female-led, and is portrayed as “a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.”
Headland has additionally recently discussed hiring the writers for the series, clarifying that it was important to select individuals who “are not necessarily the die-hard, cutthroat fan that I am when it comes to Star Wars stuff” to produce discussion in the journalists room.
There’s no release date for The Acolyte right now. The next Star Wars series to show up to screens will be The Book of Boba Fett, which is set to land this December. Obi-Wan Kenobi, which is shooting now, and The Mandalorian season 3, which will purportedly go into production toward the finish of this current year or start of the next year, are both due to follow.