An intense new trailer for the highly anticipated new Star Wars series, The Acolyte, was released over the weekend in celebration of May4th, also known as Star Wars Day (“May the 4th be with you!”). This trailer, the second for the series, provides a better glimpse into the overall story, with Manny Jacinto’s character providing what is likely the overall theme: “The Jedi justified their galactic dominance in the name of peace. But that peace is a lie.”
We see from the trailer that Jedi are being hunted, and Amandla Stenberg’s character seems to be associated with the dark side. She is presented in stark contrast to Lee Jung-jae’s Jedi Master in light colored robes.
Of course, no trailer gives away the secrets of a story, and there are sure to be some misleading cuts to keep discerning fans (of which Star Wars fans are among the most eagle-eyed) from figuring out important plot details. One thing seems clear – this era of Jedi don’t seem too different from those from the prequel era that we know so well.
There is a part of me that wonders if, despite taking place many years before the events of the films, the premise of this series is a a little familiar – the Jedi order, seemingly vital to keeping the galactic peace, having to face skeletons in its closet. If that is in fact a major theme of the show, it will be interesting to see how that era of Jedi handle their dark past, compared to that of the film era Jedi. Of course, we have seen that the failures of the prequel era Jedi ultimately led to the destruction of the order as a whole, and I would assume that isn’t the case for this series.
Check out the trailer and some excellent stills from the series. The Acolyte premieres June 4 on Disney+ with two episodes.
About The Acolyte:
In “The Acolyte,” an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….
The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Leslye Headland created the series, based on Star Wars by George Lucas, and serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGraté and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.
Headland also directed the premiere episodes (Eps. 101 & 102). Directors Kogonada (Eps. 103 & 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (Eps. 104 & 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 106 & 108) round out the directing duties on the series.
Award-winning composer Michael Abels, known for his work on “Get Out” and “Us,” scored “The Acolyte.”
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
