After a couple of exciting trips filling in the blanks of the Skywalker Saga, Lucasfilm is set to take things back to a long, long time ago with the upcoming Disney+ series, The Acolyte. Set about a century before the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte will take a look at the Dark Side of the Force in a time when the Sith are actually thought to be long gone.
This new series has been in development for the better part of two years, although there still isn't much information about what specific story details will come to fruition on the small screen. It's even been reported that The Acolyte has enlisted Loki Season 1 director Kate Herron to take on the same role for Star Wars, bringing an excellent filmmaker on board to deliver this unique intergalactic adventure.
While the new entry is reportedly set for a Disney+ debut in Summer 2023, rumors have indicated that filming for the series was delayed until October of this year, potentially putting that release date in jeopardy. But thanks to the latest update, fans may be able to take a sigh of relief as the schedule doesn't appear to be facing any more delays.
First Set Pics from The Acolyte Revealed
Berkshire Live, via Bespin Bulletin, shared images from a field close to Shinfield Studios in Berkshire, where a huge TV set was being built in the field. The outlet heard speculation that the set was for one of Lucasfilm's upcoming Star Wars projects, but they couldn't nail down which one.
Bespin Bulletin later reported that the set was for The Acolyte, with the newly established Shinfield Studios serving as the location for this shoot. Filming is reported to take place there between October 2022 and May 2023.
With plenty of open space left in the field, the team will likely use the month of September to finish building the sets before cameras begin rolling.
The current images only show the bare studs of the set that's being built right now. There's no way to tell what kind of buildings or landscapes will be seen in The Acolyte yet.
While it's hard to say for certain, the sheer scale of the size of the field and the height of the buildings suggest that The Acolyte's production could be aiming for a set similar to the scale seen during filming for Andor.
The broad strokes of the location are difficult to decipher, though an arched entranceway can be seen in some images, hinting at what the building will eventually become. The entry looks to grandiose to be a simple cantina or even a a military base. Perhaps it represents something more ancient like a Jedi or Sith temple?
The Acolyte Quickly Working to Start Production
Although there isn't a ton to look at in these set photos, Lucasfilm and Disney appear to be making a good amount of progress toward kicking off production for The Acolyte in the United Kingdom. With September only having just begun, there are still a few weeks until the studio is set to begin production, which should leave plenty of time for most of these extensive sets to be built before the stars arrive to begin their work in front of the camera.
With an all-star cast of characters led by Amandla Stenberg set to take their place in the Star Wars narrative, fans will have their eyes on this set over the coming weeks to find out any new and exciting information about The Acolyte. And with filming ready to move forward over the course of eight full months, hopefully, some of the mysteries behind this new intergalactic adventure aren't far from being solved.
The Acolyte is rumored to debut on Disney+ sometime next summer, although with filming set to end in May, it likely won't arrive until anywhere from August to October 2023.
