New Star Wars show The Acolyte is a "prequel to the prequels," with a modern sensibility too

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Exclusive: The Acolyte star Amandla Stenberg talks the show's "contemporary" and prequel-inspired sensibilities

The Acolyte
(Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)

The Acolyte is the next live-action Star Wars show to hit our screens, and it looks like something very different for the galaxy far, far away. 

For one thing, it's set in the High Republic era, which has never been depicted in live-action before. And, as star Amandla Stenberg tells Total Film in our new issue out on Thursday April 25, which features Furiosa on the cover, the Star Wars show will blend the old and new. 

"We are the prequel to the prequels," Stenberg says. "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." 

You can also check out an exclusive picture from The Acolyte above, which sees Charlie Barnett's Yord Fandar and Lee Jung-jae's Sol in their Jedi robes. 

The rest of the cast includes Carrie-Anne Moss, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Joonas Suotamo, and Manny Jacinto. Leslye Headland is showrunner. 

The Acolyte is released on June 5. And you can read more about it and a whole lot else besides in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, April 25.

Check out the covers below:

Total Film's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga covers

(Image credit: Total Film/Warner Bros)

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. You’ll get every issue before it's in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers. 

Total Film subscriber offer

(Image credit: Total Film/Warner Bros/Universal/Amazon)

See our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.

Molly Edwards
Molly Edwards
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.