Leslye Headland knew what she was getting into with The Acolyte.

The Acolyte seems to be all that Star Wars fans can talk about these past few months. The cast of the show is truly spectacular, including Dafne Keen, Amandla Stenberg, Carrie-Anne Moss, and even Lee Jung-jae. There were a lot of expectations for the series, and although fans are not very impressed, it has managed to get a 91% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lee Jung-jae in The Acolyte I Lucasfilm
On top of its cast and story, one of the biggest responsibilities that a series has when it is part of a series is to the bigger story of the franchise. During a recent interview, the creator of the show, Leslye Headland, talked about how she managed this challenge.

The Acolyte in the Grand Scheme of Things

During an interview on the Star Wars YouTube page, Leslye Headland sat alongside Dave Filoni, who was responsible for Ahsoka, and talked about their respective shows and the responsibilities that came with them. The former specifically talked about the biggest challenge she found to be when she was making the show.
Amandla Stenberg in The Acolyte | Lucasfilm
She started by talking about how being a part of the Star Wars franchise was a dream come true for her. In the moments where she felt the most overwhelmed, she would remember just how much the job meant to her, both professionally and personally, and focus ahead.

My agreement with myself was whenever it overwhelms you, that you are doing your dream. You just have to do it. Honestly, the times that I felt the most worried was not the special effects, the fighting choreography. It was the emotional stuff.

Lee Jung-jae in The Acolyte (2024) | LucasFilm
Headland then talked about the most challenging aspect for her when she was making The Acolyte. When it comes to special effects and fight sequences, everything is seemingly black and white. While a lot of layers can be added through subtext and camera work, what the creator found to be most challenging about the series was balancing the emotional scenes.

Magnificently writing them, while trying to maintain equilibrium. This is not a new worry, as many filmmakers have experienced such challenges, especially in the action genre.

George Lucas’ Legacy Needed to Be Respected

The Acolyte takes place before the majority of the franchise, showing an insight into the final days of the High Republic era, something the series has yet to explore. Being set a century before Luke Skywalker was even born, the series certainly has a lot of responsibility.
Amandla Stenberg in The Acolyte | LucasFilm
Knowing just how much story has already been told, the series had to be very cautious about the information it gave out and make sure that it was loyal to everything that was placed after it.

Leslye Headland spoke about exactly this during the interview, revealing that they had to preserve the vision of George Lucas, who sat in the creator’s chair for the majority of the franchise. She mentioned that the different elements that he managed to add to the franchise were something they could not do again.

It’s the Western. It’s the Samurai film. It has to feel elevated but it also has to feel like Star Wars. Basically what George created, it’s the North Star.

Amandla Stenberg in The Acolyte | LucasFilm
Headland had to deliver something new while making sure that they were loyal to the fans and respected the work that came before them. This is why every single time a decision was taken, Lucas was looked at as a guiding light.

The Acolyte is available for streaming on Disney+.