Summary
Star Wars: The Acolyteis a bit of an enigma in the franchise. But now, things are just slightly less murky, at least regarding the behind-the-scenes stuff. The Disney Plus show has revealed its writers for each episode, which may crank up the excitement level as much as a big cameo reveal.
Right from the start,The Acolyteseemed like it would be something different. Much like the incredibleAndor, which has drawn in viewers who otherwise wouldn’t have givenStar Warsa second glance, this new series is showing signs of doing its own thing and telling a compelling story that happens to be set in a galaxy far, far away.The AcolyteshowrunnerLeslye Headland specifically wanted writers unfamiliar withStar Wars. That’s one way to set the project apart from its peers. But one thing’s for sure, regardless of the newly-revealed writers' familiarity with the franchise, they’re bringing a lot of clout.
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The Writers Guild of America (WGA) websitehas officially revealed the writers for each episode ofThe Acolyte, and there are some incredible gets in there. Headland herself is taking on the first episode as both writer and director, but after that, the quill is being handed off to an impressive assortment of others. While not all of them boast Earth-shaking past projects on their resumes, their combined previous experience almost feels likeThe Acolytehas brought together a supergroup.
written by Leslye Headland
written by Jason Micallef and Charmaine DeGraté
written by Jasmyne Flournoy and Eileen Shim
Claire Kiechel and Kor Adana
Kor Adana and Cameron Squires
written by Jason Micallef and Jocelyn Bioh
written by Charmaine DeGraté, Jen Richards, and Jasmyne Flournoy
Episode 8
Jason Micallef
Micallef is perhaps best known for writing and creating the 2018 seriesHeathers. The same series saw Flournoy among its crew, though she was also involved withThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Meanwhile, DeGraté and Shim are notable for having both worked on the belovedGame of ThronesprequelHouse of the Dragon. That’s already a rather wide-reaching net of projects the writers have been involved with, and the list isn’t even halfway through.
Aside from already possessing the perfectStar Warsname, Adana has the chops for it, having written a couple of episodes of the cyber-thriller masterpiece seriesMr. Robot. He’ll be joined in one episode ofThe Acolyteby Kiechel, who can proudly lay claim to her work onHBO’s beloved Emmy-winning 2019WatchmenseriesandThe OA. Joining Adana on another episode is Squires, who notably served as a staff writer onWandaVision. Rounding out the list is Bioh, who worked with Headland onRussian Doll, and writer/actress Richards, known for projects likeBlindspottingandHer Story. Notably, Richards is a transgender woman who has lobbied for better trans representation in Hollywood, so it would be nice to see her get her wish here.
The Sith-led story ofStar Wars: The Acolyteis already setting up an intriguing premise, offering up the potential of somethingStar Warsfans may not often get to see. So add to that this truly enviable list of writers and baby, they’ve got a stew going. Even aside from all that,The Acolytewill reportedly reflect showrunner Headland’s queer identity, offering some much-needed representation to the franchise. Here’s hoping the series hits all the high marks it seems to be shooting for.
Star Wars: The Acolyteis currently set to release on Disney Plus in 2024.
