When Does The Acolyte Take Place On the Star Wars Timeline?

By Richard Nebens Updated:
Mae (Amandla Stenberg) in The Acolyte, Star Wars characters and logo

Star Wars fans now have their first full look at the next live-action Disney+ series, The Acolyte, leading many to ask where it fits on the grand Star Wars timeline.

The High Republic era of Star Wars, which will be used for The Acolyte, has only been used sparingly on screen. In fact, the animated Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is Lucasfilm's first project to explore that era in a TV show or movie.

The Acolyte is now set to change that status nearly two years after Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy teased that this initiative, were it successful, would "open up new storytelling opportunities beyond the page."

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Where Does The Acolyte Land on the Star Wars Timeline?

Following the release of the first full trailer for Star Wars' The Acolyte, some may wonder when this series takes place compared to the rest of the franchise's timeline.

The Acolyte on Disney+
Star Wars

Officially, The Acolyte is set in the High Republic era, making it the first-ever live-action project to tackle this era of Star Wars.

More specifically, the show takes place toward the latter end of the High Republic era, which comes about 100 years before the events of 1999's Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Vernestra Rwoh in The Acolyte on Disney+
Star Wars

During this time, the galaxy is in a time of extended peace as the Jedi are at the height of their power, with the Sith not being a threat to the stability of the universe yet.

This series also includes Vernestra Rwoh, who plays a prominent role in The High Republic book series. The Acolyte's take on Rwoh will be an older version of the character as the books tackle earlier years of the High Republic era in the timeline.

Vernestra Rwoh in The Acolyte on Disney+
Star Wars

This time period is more fully explored in The High Republic book series, exploring events in Star Wars that took place as far back as 250 years before anything seen in the Skywalker Saga.

The full trailer for The Acolyte can be seen below:


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What Will Happen in Star Wars' The Acolyte?

As this series takes place so early in the Star Wars timeline, fans will get a unique opportunity to see the true rise of the Sith, with the original Star Wars Celebration trailer teasing how vital they would be to the plot.

Said to hold the longest entries in Star Wars Disney+ history with its eight-episode slate, the dark side of this franchise will be put into the spotlight in ways that have never been seen since Star Wars started in 1977.

While the Sith are The Acolyte's main focus, this series will also feature a record-breaking number of Jedi, setting up potentially epic battles not seen as often in entries like The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett.

The Acolyte is reported to have the largest production budget of any Disney+ show to date, surpassing Rogue One. The trailer already shows this with its epic landscapes and grand-scale lightsaber battles, which should only increase in quantity and quality when the series debuts.


The Acolyte will make its two-episode Disney+ debut on June 4.

Read more about Star Wars' next live-action series:

Disney Confirms 4 New Star Wars Shows for 2024

Star Wars Unveils Historic New Disney+ Footage That Expands Timeline of Universe

Chewbacca Actor Announces Return for New Star Wars Disney+ Show

- In This Article: The Acolyte
Release Date
June 04, 2024
Platform
Actors
Amandla Stenberg
Dafne Keen
Jodie Turner-Smith
Genres
- About The Author: Richard Nebens
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.