The Star Wars universe is always growing, and this growth is especially evident in Disney’s streaming service: Disney+. According to a breaking report from Variety, actress Amandla Stenberg is set to lead the upcoming Star Wars series, The Acolyte. This series is one of many in development for Disney+ and is currently under the helm of Leslye Headland, a co-creator of the Netflix series, Russian Doll, and the director of several of its episodes.
Although few details are known about The Acolyte or Amandla Stenberg’s lead character, the series will reportedly explore the High Republic era of the Star Wars franchise. Back in December of 2020, Disney confirmed that The Acolyte will be a mystery-style thriller. They also noted that the series will take audiences through the dark secrets of this important era, including some background on the emerging Sith powers.
In Star Wars lore, the term “acolyte’ has typically referred to force-sensitive individuals who often learn more under the guidance of Sith Lords — rather than Jedi. However, it is possible that this lore could be altered for the series. It is not unheard of for Disney or other major studios to do so when creating new projects.
As an actress, Amandla Stenberg has recently appeared in several major projects for various powerhouse studios, including the 2021 movie musical Dear Evan Hansen and 2018’s critically acclaimed The Hate U Give film adaptation. However, Stenberg has also appeared in several television roles, including roles on Drunk History, New Yokio, Mr. Robinson, Sleepy Hollow, and The Eddy.
For more news and updates on the Star Wars universe and upcoming Star Wars projects like The Acolyte, be sure to check back in with us nerds at The Nerd Stash!