After the successful run of the Skywalker Saga, the Star Wars franchise is now moving into new narrative territory with the High Republic era. This time period is currently being pushed to the forefront thanks to the Star Wars: The High Republic initiative from Lucasfilm Publishing, which will provide comics and novels that showcase the golden age of the Jedi Knights before their eventual downfall in the main prequel trilogy.
Additionally, a live-action series set within the High Republic era was announced as part of the franchise's Disney+ lineup in the next years, and this show was revealed to be The Acolyte . Created by Leslye Headland, the upcoming Disney+ series is looking to be a sort of antithesis to the stories from Lucasfilm publishing branch, as the shows will take a deep dive into the Dark Side of the Force.
Lucasfilm has yet to reveal a release date for The Acolyte , but it seems that it may take a while before it lands on the streaming platform due to the upcoming debut of Star Wars: The High Republic this January. Regardless, an interesting tidbit for the series has emerged.
CONFIRMATION
Lucasfilm confirmed that Rayne Roberts is co-developing Leslye Headland's The Acolyte Disney+ series. In addition, it was also revealed in the report that Raynes is developing new films for the Star Wars franchise's theatrical slate.
Roberts is Lucasfilm's vice president for film development and has played a major role in developing the Skywalker Saga's sequel trilogy as well as Star Wars Rebels.
WHAT THIS MEANS
The addition of Roberts to The Acolyte is an exciting piece of news for Star Wars fans, especially considering the producer's experience in handling notable projects under the Lucasfilm banner. During Disney Investor Day , it was confirmed that The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller set in the galaxy far, far, away, and Roberts will surely have a heavy hand in helping Headland achieve her vision for that genre.
On top of that, the report also mentioned that Roberts is “developing new films” for Lucasfilm, and Patty Jenkin's Rogue Squadron and Taika Waititi's currently-untitled project will no doubt be included in that list. Given the interconnectivity of the Star Wars franchise, it's a safe bet that the aforementioned projects will at least be referenced by one another in some shape, manner, or form when it finally premieres down the road.
The success of The Mandalorian presents a clear message that it's high time for Star Wars to focus on new and exciting characters while also paying homage to concepts that were already established. No doubt, The Acolyte will play a big role in that since its core story will focus on one of the intriguing mysteries of the franchise which is the Dark Side.
Hopefully, the combined efforts of Roberts and Headland will help the show to find the right balance between introducing fresh stories and incorporating nostalgia.
