Posted in: Disney+, Movies, Preview, Star Wars, streaming, TV | Tagged: Leslye Headland, lucasfilm, preview, rian johnson, star wars, The Acolyte, The Last Jedi

The Acolyte Showrunner on Learning from Rian Johnson's "The Last Jedi"

Star Wars: The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland shared what they learned about criticizing the Jedi from Rian Johnson's "The Last Jedi."

Looking ahead to what Disney+ has lined up for 2024, Lucasfilm & series creator Leslye Headland's (Russian Bride) Star Wars: The Acolyte is inching closer and closer to the top of our list of shows we need to check out. First, the "Star Wars" universe series is highlighting a very different period in the timeline – when the Jedi ruled the day. But guess what? They're not exactly the "bastions of righteousness" that they've been portrayed to be. A story set in the "Star Wars" universe that's actually critical of the Jedi, questioning whether their pride attributed to their downfall, too? Well, if that sounds thematically similar to Rian Johnson's "The Last Jedi," then you're not alone. During an interview with Collider, Headland addresses what they learned from Johnson's film when it comes to pulling back the curtain on the Jedi's backstory.

"I think it's difficult to do a show that is critical in any way of the Jedi. And I think that you saw that with [Rian Johnson's] film. Do you know what I mean? Like, I think that, especially in that moment, people were very nervous about saying this particular institution may not be the light and perfect, stunning group of heroes that are totally nobly intentioned," Headland explained. "And one thing that I think Dave would say is that they are fallible. That's really the story that George told with the prequels, right? The fall of this particular group." But even though portraying the fallibility of the Jedi was met with some serious backlash after "The Last Jedi" debuted, Headland shares that Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy wasn't afraid for the showrunner to tap that theme again for the streaming series.

"I think when you think you're going to tell the story about bad guys, and the Jedi might be the antagonist to those Jedi, I think that makes people nervous. But it didn't make Kathy [Kathleen Kennedy] nervous," Headland added. "And I will say that in that room, when I pitched her, it was probably one of the most exciting things because it felt like a conversation, and less like I was up for a job. It felt much more like, 'Okay, but what are you going to do about this? And what are you going to do about that?' And so I was able to fold in what I know about Star Wars, and what I love about Star Wars, into what she's always pushing for, which is, 'What's the emotional throughline?'"

Disney+, Lucasfilm, and Headland's The Acolyte stars Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Lee Jung Jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Margarita Levieva (Revenge, The Deuce), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), and Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo as the Wookie Jedi Kel Naka. The mystery-thriller is set to take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. Along with Headland, Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef will executive produce (with Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson set to produce).

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