The Acolyte will be a gateway to Star Wars – and you "don’t need to know anything" about the franchise to watch it

You don't need to know anything about Star Wars to watch the new TV show The Acolyte, at least according to its producers Rayne Roberts and Simon Emanuel.

Speaking to SFX magazine in the new issue, which features Doctor Who on the cover, the pair opened up about making an interplanetary detective drama. Set in the High Republic, it marks the furthest back in time Star Wars live-action has ever gone on screen. However, you don't need to be familiar with all the details of that era from the Extended Universe to tune in.

"It's a gateway, and you don't need to know anything about Star Wars to be able to drop in," Emanuel tells us. Co-producer Roberts adds that this has been one of the best parts of making the show. "That's been the most fun aspect, because we're not backing into anything that's pre-decided," he explains. "They're new characters, all of their fates were up to Leslye [Headland, showrunner] and the writing room, so it's going to be really fun, I hope, to see where they go."

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A lot of the series is still shrouded in mystery but we do know some big details about what to expect. As teased by the synopsis, the action begins when a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master. They come together after a series of crimes across the galaxy bring danger to their door – but they soon discover that the forces they confront are more sinister than first suspected. Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, and Jodie Turner-Smith all star. 

Speaking to SFX, the producers also shared some teases about where the story might go next. "There's some things the show points to," Roberts continues. "We've got to get back into the writers' room for season two to see where we're at. We have some initial thoughts about what we want to do, but in terms of where the story will ultimately wrap up, that hasn't been quite nailed down yet."

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The Acolyte releases on June 4 in the US, and June 5 in the UK. The above is just a snippet from our interview, available in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Doctor Who on the cover and is available from Wednesday, May 15. See what you should be looking out for on newsstands below...

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