Star Wars Celebration 2023 reveals The Acolyte cast and hints at ‘spiritual war’

Star Wars Celebration continues, with the cast and showrunner of The Acolyte joining the Lucasfilm Showcase to discuss the future of the live-action show.

Set at the end of the High Republic era, roughly 100 years before the events of Episode 1, The Acolyte is currently in production. Showrunner Leslye Headland took to the stage alongside a Wookiee to talk about the future of the live-action show. Headland described the show as Frozen meets Kill Bill while speaking to Star Wars Celebration attendees and offered an update on the progress of the show’s production.

As reported by Bespin Bulletin, the news from the stage is that four episodes of The Acolyte are already complete, after filming began in October 2022. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has reportedly watched the completed episodes recently and was ‘blown away’.

Bringing a fresh approach to the battle between the Jedi and the Sith, the showrunner teased that it will explore a spiritual war involving battles between siblings and parents, Master and Apprentice. Headland then invited the cast of the show onto the stage. It was confirmed that Squid Game’s Lee Jung-Jae will play a Jedi Master, as already inferred from some leaked set photos.

Lucasfilm's Studio Showcase Panel #StarWarsCelebration #SWCE2023

Manny Jacinto – "WERE DOING STAR WARS BABY!'

And yes, fully in the voice you think lol pic.twitter.com/vUt8CnTI9a

— Adrian Ruiz ? #SWCL (@superruiz93) April 7, 2023

While The Acolyte comes from the perspective of the villains, as already hinted at in its description as the first Sith-led project, Headland also promised that lots of Jedi will appear in the show, including Kel Naka – an original character and a Wookiee Jedi. This will be the franchise’s first Wookiee Jedi Master, with the show reportedly traveling further back in the timeline than any other title.

Kel Naka will be played by Joonas Suotamo, a Finnish actor and basketball player who already has experience in the Star Wars universe as the body double for Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and replacing Mayhew in The Last Jedi.

White Noise’s Jodie Turner-Smith will play another original character in the show. What’s more, the promise of several Jedi holds true as more cast members opened up about their characters, with X-Men’s Dafne Keen and Russian Doll’s Charlie Barnett both highlighting that their characters use lightsabers. Keen also commented that the physical training for the role was very intense.

A trailer for the show was also presented to live attendees, but not streamed live and no recordings were allowed. Nonetheless, reports of what was shown include Amandla Stenberg’s Padawan character attempting to kill Carrie Anne Moss with a dagger throughout the trailer. Jung Jae also appeared as a Jedi Master teaching a group of younglings and walking up a mountain in a snowstorm. Charlie Barnett’s character was also spotted using a yellow lightsaber.

HUGE applause for the acolyte trailer #SWCE2023

— rachel SWCE2023 (@rachellord22) April 7, 2023

EMPIRE Magazine also tweeted that the footage looked ‘incredible’.

“Jedi everywhere. Lightsabers galore. A darker, epic, Andor-like tone. We saw Padawans, plenty of aliens – and a jaw-dropping martial arts Force-fight between Carrie-Anne Moss and Amandla Stenberg’s characters,” reads the tweet.

The Acolyte footage just played – and it looks INCREDIBLE! Jedi everywhere. Lightsabers galore. A darker, epic, Andor-like tone. We saw Padawans, plenty of aliens – and a jaw-dropping martial arts Force-fight between Carrie-Anne Moss and Amandla Stenberg’s characters… pic.twitter.com/FYCAYXnVQD

— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) April 7, 2023

No specific dates were given on when we can expect to see the show air, but it’s confirmed to be on its way sometime in 2024, with production wrapping next month.

You can follow all the latest from Star Wars Celebration right here on Brick Fanatics, with our coverage of Andor’s time on the stage here, and catch the official live stream by clicking here.

Featured image: Nerd al Quadrato on Twitter

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