‘The Acolyte’ Won't Be Kind to the Jedi Says Series Showrunner

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In an interview with Collider's Editor-in-chief, Steve Weintraub, Leslye Headland spoke about how the series set during the High Republic era compares to Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi. While the two stories take place in different centuries, they might have more in common than expected, sharing a mutual questioning of the way the Jedi operate. Here's what Headland had to say when it comes to the treatment of the Jedi in The Acolyte:

"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. 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."

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But Kathleen Kennedy isn't afraid of any potential outrage concerning the plot of The Acolyte. During the interview, Headland also talked about the process of informing the executive about what the themes behind the series would be, explaining to her why a story where the Jedi are not presented in a flattering light was necessary for Amanda Stenberg's character's journey. Here's what the showrunner had to say when speaking about the studio president's reaction to her pitch and any potential internet backlash:

"But I think when you think you're going to tell the story about bad guys, and the Jedi’s might be the antagonist to those Jedi’s, I think that makes people nervous. But it didn't make Kathy nervous. 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?'"

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