Leslye Headland Creator of ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ Comments on the Show: “Whatever You Think The Acolyte Is, It’s Not”

At the premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’, television writer Leslye Headland shared her ideas for potential Star Wars films if approached by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. By April 2020, Headland was confirmed to write and serve as showrunner for a new female-centric Star Wars series on Disney+. The series was expected to be set in a different timeline from other Star Wars projects in the High Republic Era.

Now after several years in the making, ‘The Acolyte’ finally has a trailer, and a release date. Due to that, Leslye Headland opened up regarding her inspiration for the show and what the fans can expect. Leslye revealed that she had been a fan of the franchise since she was a teen as the Galaxy far far away offered her a sense of escape:

I think it just meant so much to me because it was a place to live, a place to escape to. Not just the media, but…George [Lucas] had given you enough signposts that it’s almost like Narnia. You could just go [into the Star Wars galaxy] and live there. And then you just have to come out of the wardrobe at some point and go to class.

Leslye Headland, upon landing the opportunity to tell her own Star Wars story with ‘The Acolyte,’ got a tattoo of Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept art of Princess Leia Organa on her right hand. This tattoo served as a constant reminder of the galaxy’s origins as she created her unique tale.

Leslye also took an opportunity to comment on the impressive action scenes that the show will deliver:

I was really impressed. Carrie-Anne Moss, Amandla Stenberg, and Lee Jung-jae — he really blew me away with how much of his own action he did!The way that they challenged themselves, they understood that it was important, emotionally, for the audience to see their faces.

She also commented on the setting of the show, as the High Republic era was never depicted in live-action before.

If Star Wars is about the underdog versus the institution, [in The Acolyte] the Jedi are the institution. I was so interested in a storyline where the Jedi were at the height of their power — and I don’t mean The Phantom Menace, because at that point, there’s a Sith Lord in the Senate that they’re not picking up on. Like it’s a thing I’ve heard of, but it’s not a thing that you would ever consider you’d be interacting with.

Headland promises that the fans just starting with ‘Star Wars’ don’t have to know much to follow the show. It’s not necessary to watch other shows or read books to understand the story and she likes it that way. She also warned against having expectations before you watch the show:

But whatever you think The Acolyte is, it’s not that. It’s a drop in the bucket, baby. Just hang in there and check it out.

The show is set to consist of 8 episodes, premiering on Disney+ on June 4th. Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!