The best sci-fi saga is back: How much is the Acolyte series worth?

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While the Jedi Order is at its peak and prosperity reigns in the High Republic, several mysterious crimes are committed. A respected Jedi Master leads an investigation that pits him against a dangerous warrior from his past.

As new clues emerge, the two embark on a dark path where evil forces show them that things aren’t always what they seem…

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The two Star Wars heroes are played by Amanda Stenberg, who appeared in The Hunger Games and later appeared in The Hate U Give and Bodies Bodies Bodies, and Lee Jung-ja, star of the South Korean TV series Squid Game.

The rest of the cast includes Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, Marvel’s Jessica Jones), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place, Top Gun: Maverick), Daphne Keen (Logan, His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Anne Boleyn), Charlie Barnett (The Russian Doll , You), Dean-Charles Chapman (Game of Thrones, 1917), Jonas Suotamo (Wednesday, Star Wars) and Rebecca Henderson (Call Jane).

Is it worth checking out?

Highly anticipated by Star Wars fans, the main attraction of the Acolyte series was the fiction set in a lesser-known and understudied period of the Star Wars universe. Guaranteed to bring fresh air and a fresh perspective on Jedi history, the acolyte could only marvel.

And after watching four episodes – or half of the series (or the first season if the series is renewed) – of The Acolyte, we can definitely say that it is raising the basket of different Star Wars series on Disney+. .

And that’s thanks to the work of its creator, showrunner and executive producer Leslie Headland (who worked on Russian Doll), who actor Charlie Barnett described as a big fan:

“But in addition to being a huge fan, I think you could call him a Star Wars historian in a way. He has such a rich and vast knowledge. We were able to use your knowledge while filming.”*

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Leslie Headland tells a new story set 100 years before the rise of the Empire, a time when peace reigns and the Jedi Order and Republic flourish without any war.

But when dark entities wielding power come and upset the balance, it’s time to question things. The Acolyte series returns to the basics of the Star Wars saga by revisiting the difference between good and evil, the balance of the Force and above all the hegemony of the Jedi Order in the galaxy.

The character journey of The Acolyte will clearly remind Star Wars fans of other iconic and complex figures in the saga, most notably Anakin Skywalker.

If the plot of the series does not fall into a simple mirror effect, it will still be inspired by older works, and fans will be able to notice some references to the films, but also to video games such as Star Wars: The Fallen Jedi Order or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

While Acolyte fits perfectly into the Star Wars universe, it’s mostly inspired by the Samurai movies and the Quentin Tarantino feature Kill Bill, as explained by the cast of the series.

“One of our biggest references was Kill Bill. It was one of the first movies that Leslie and I talked about. We have a lot of favorite movies in common. And Leslie showed Kill Bill to the whole team before we started shooting.”*, Amanda Stenberg explained.

Daphne Keane continued: “We were also inspired by a lot of samurai movies and had the most incredible stunt team created by Christopher Cowan, who comes from an anime background and loves those visual references.

And he made them so beautifully that when you look at them, it’s not just for the style. It’s violent, but beautiful and incredible”*.

A promising start for a series that has yet to reveal what’s in its belly

Thanks to the talents of Leslie Headland, Kogonada, Alex García López, and Hanel Culpepper, the series was able to create its own world and aesthetic with visceral and authentic settings that lean as closely as possible to real-world settings, providing excellent realism and smoother special effects. rather than overusing Tom (as in other Star Wars series).

With strong personalities, intriguing skills, and well-delivered flashbacks, The Acolyte’s characters grow to be lovable regardless of their community or chosen side, even if some have limited screen time.

For now, Acolyte’s strength lies in its organic essence and spiritual intent, immersing us in the questions and doubts of the Jedi and questioning their certainties.

But the series can still gain power by pushing the emotion slider further, and especially with a more political dimension, as in Andor. We feel that he hasn’t revealed all of his secrets yet and that he hasn’t played all of his cards and we’ll have to watch the rest of the series to fully judge.

With relatively short episodes – 32 to 45 minutes – and a fairly fast pace, Acolyte sometimes neglects deep character development. But we have a feeling that the series is destined to develop over several seasons (we wish it did!) and that the real stakes are much higher than the first few episodes.

*Comments collected by Mégane Choquet on May 28.

The first two episodes of Star Wars: Acolyte are available on Disney+. The rest of the series will be posted online in the amount of one episode per week.