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The Acolyte is the latest Star Wars show to arrive on Disney Plus and it's already caught the imagination of viewers the world over thanks to its potent blend of mystery and malice, ably backed by showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll) and a cast of fresh faces in a galaxy far, far away.
As we take a trip back in time to The High Republic, we've rounded up everything you need to know about The Acolyte below, including its release plans, the cast, and the story. That means you'll be up to date with the series in no time.
Want the latest on The Acolyte? Head down below. May the Force be with you…
The Acolyte release date and episode count
The Acolyte arrived on Disney Plus on June 4. New episodes will air weekly on Tuesdays at 6pm PT/9pm ET, which is 2am BST on Wednesdays in the UK.
For the overall picture, check out The Acolyte release schedule.
The Acolyte episodes 1-4 review
Our Acolyte review is in, with writer Molly Edwards calling it a "solid start" in her three-and-a-half star review. She writes: "While it loses some momentum, it quickly regains its footing with a seriously agonizing cliffhanger arriving at the midpoint of the series. Time will tell if The Acolyte manages to stick the landing throughout the back half of the season, but, for now, it's an engrossing – if not as original as promised – adventure in the galaxy far, far away."
The Acolyte trailer
The Acolyte released a teaser trailer first, which showcases a shadowy threat, lots of Jedi wielding their lightsabers, and some seriously cool action. It was pretty much the same trailer that debuted behind closed doors at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
Then, a longer trailer debuted to mark Star Wars Day (May 4). This new trailer teases a mysterious, masked villain who wields a red lightsaber – and also features the central murder plot. You can watch it above.
The Acolyte cast
The Acolyte cast is absolutely stacked. Check out the list below:
- Amandla Stenberg – Mae/Osha
- Lee Jung-jae – Sol
- Manny Jacinto – Qimir
- Dafne Keen – Jecki Lon
- Charlie Barnett – Yord Fandar
- Jodie Turner-Smith – Mother Aniseya
- Rebecca Henderson – Vernestra Rwoh
- Joonas Suotamo – Kelnacca
- Carrie-Anne Moss – Indara
- Dean-Charles Chapman – Torbin
- Abigail Thorn – Ensign Eurus
- Margarita Levieva – TBC
- Amy Tsang – TBC
The Acolyte story
The Acolyte, so far, has seen Amandla Stenberg's assassin Mae set out to murder four Jedi in the Order, all while being hunted down by Master Sol and her twin sister, Osha.
Set in the High Republic era, a new live-action spot on the Star Wars timeline, it falls 100 years before the events of the first prequel movie, The Phantom Menace.
"We are the prequel to the prequels," Stenberg told our sister publication Total Film. "And the prequels have this kind of prestige to them, this monarchical vibe. So one of my main questions going in was: are we going to maintain that sensibility? And yes, in many ways we do, while also incorporating elements that feel really contemporary and relatable. When I watched [the finished episodes] I was really struck by how universal the story was."
Showrunner Leslye Headland also teased the series' enigmatic nature. "The Acolyte is a mystery. It's similar to Russian Doll, which was really about giving the audience information episode by episode, this spiral of storytelling," she commented.
"This is a much larger landscape, but it similarly tackles the idea of 'your eyes can deceive you'. You’re going to think the show is one thing, but then it’s going to gearshift into something else, and then do it again."
Per the official logline, we'll see Lee Jung-jae's Jedi Master come up against a familiar, dangerous fighter he knows from his past (Amandla Stenberg), thanks to a string of shocking crimes.
The Acolyte exclusive insight
Recently, we had a chance to sit down with The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland, as well as much of the main cast of the Star Wars series.
From working with droids to breaking down that shocking opening, we picked their brains on a whole host of talking points from the show so far. Below, you can find a pick of our interviews, guides, and exclusive insight on The Acolyte.
- When does The Acolyte take place on the Star Wars timeline?
- Who is the masked villain in The Acolyte? What we know about the Star Wars Sith explained
- New Star Wars show The Acolyte's sets were so big and detailed, the actors needed a map to get around and were literally “tripping on mushrooms”
- Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae on joining The Acolyte, making history as a Jedi, and why he thinks Russian Doll’s Leslye Headland has a "fresh take" on Star Wars
- The Acolyte creator talks pitching The High Republic – and the biggest challenge behind the new Star Wars era
- Star Wars' cute new droid has an incredibly wholesome inspiration behind it
- The Acolyte crew built lightsabers for the new Star Wars show that could be used "the way Darth Maul and Qui-Gon Jinn use them"
- The Acolyte creator breaks down Star Wars show's shocking opening: "You have to go hard, you have to say the Jedi are going to take some Ls"
For even more, you can check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows to see what else the galaxy far, far away has in store.
