Lucasfilm and Disney+ may have found their Acolyte.Varietyis reporting that 23-year-old Amandla Stenberg is in negotiations for a leading role inStar Wars: The Acolyte, an upcoming live-action series for Disney+.
For the uninitiated,The Acolytewill take place in a relatively unexplored period ofStar Warshistory. All we know for sure is that it’s a female-led action thriller set during the late High Republic era, 50 years before the events ofThe Phantom Menace. Within theStar Warsuniverse, the term “Acolyte” is usually reserved for a warrior who is training to become one of the Sith, with the series said to be an exploration of the rise of dark-side power. News aboutThe Acolytefirst broke in April 2020 before it was confirmed by Lucasfilm in December of that year during the Disney Investor Day 2020 presentation.Russian Dollco-creator Leslye Headland is the writer and showrunner.
Stenberg, who identifies as nonbinary, made their screen debut 10 years ago inColombiana, which was followed by a memorable role as Rue, the young but clever tribute from District 11 inThe Hunger Games. Stenberg’s later credits included a recurring stint on Fox’sSleepy Hollowand a starring role on the sitcom,Mr. Robinson. More recently, Stenberg has garnered acclaim for starring turns inThe Hate U Give,The Darkest Minds,Where Hands Touch, and Netflix’s miniseriesThe Eddy.
So far, Lucasfilm hasn’t shared any additional info aboutThe Acolyte. But if the casting process has already begun, it could be ready to start filming in 2022. A similar situation is currently unfolding with theStar Wars: Ashokaseries. That Rosario Dawson-led show recently castNatasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wrenwhile landing Ivanna Sakhno for a mystery role.Star Wars: Ashokais also likely to begin production next year.
In the more immediate future, there are two live-actionStar Warsseries slated to premiere in 2022. Ewan McGregor will headlineStar Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi,a miniseries that revisits the Jedi Master nearly ten years after he went into exile on Tatooine. Hayden Christensen is also reprising his role as Darth Vader for the show. Additionally,Star Wars: Andor, a prequel series toRogue One, will debut next year with Diego Luna stepping back into the part of Cassian Andor, a ruthless warrior and spy for the Rebellion.
Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait until next year for newStar Warsstories.The Book of Boba Fettwill premiere on Disney+ on Wednesday, December 29.
