STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE Showrunner Says She Has a Multi-Season Plan, Though Season 1 Will Tell a Complete Story
Disney+ released the awesome first trailer this week for their upcoming series Star Wars: The Acolyte. It looks like it’s going to tell an awesome, action packed story, and if showrunner Leslye Headland has anything to say about it, we will see the story continue past season one. While the show is only scheduled for one season so far, we know there’s a possibility for it to continue if it’s well-received and fans are hungry for more.
Headland talked about her multi-season pitch for the series in a recent interview with Collider, she explained:
"I would say that when I pitched it, I definitely pitched it as a multi-season show. There are a lot of things at the end of this season that I think are narrative threads that are not tied up, for sure. However, I am the type of writer that is not interested in an emotional cliffhanger. I want you to feel like you've had a particular type of catharsis, and an emotional experience in watching those eight episodes because I like rewarding the audience with that. I still think that means you can pepper in things that are like, 'I wanna see where that's gonna go,' and, 'Oh, I didn't realize that person was related to that person in this way, and I'd like to see more.' But there isn't something where you feel like you're on the edge of your seat to have that catharsis, and then you have to wait two years. These things take forever to make, so I would hate to make a season that didn't feel complete, even if it was still open for more story."
It’s smart to make a complete first season. It will be strong that way, and fans will be more likely to want to continue to see strong storytelling with these characters. In regards to how quickly a Season 2 could take shape, Headland explained:
"We could make it pretty quickly. We definitely have a timeline. I have a lot of ideas, and again, a lot of it was stuff that I told [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen [Kennedy] early on, in terms of where I would like the season to go, and the conflicts that I see happening, specifically in the second season. But I have been working nonstop on this for a very long time, so I am definitely taking a much-needed break before we get the writers' room going. And I'd like to see how the show performs. I'm very interested in that. I'm interested in seeing, like you said, the ratings and seeing what are the things that people ... I don't wanna say it's in reaction to fan reaction, but you do get feedback at the end of the season, which is kind of nice, to just be like, 'Okay, those people hated that.' It doesn't mean we don't do it, it just means we're armed with the information that that was an unpopular thing. So we can do it anyway, but knowing that stuff, I think, is really good. I think they would love to start it immediately. They're very happy with the series. But I need a break."
The series stars Amandla Steinberg as a former Padawan and dangerous warrior who is hunting down and killing Jedi. She is joined by Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae, who stars as the Jedi Master, as well as Manny Jacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva, Joonas Suotamo, and Amy Tsang.
The story is described as “a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.” The High Republic is set 100 years before the Skywalker Saga begins.
In The Acolyte, “An investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems…."
Star Wars: The Acolyte will premiere on Disney+ on June 4th.