The High Republic Show Is The Biggest Test Of Star Wars’ Future
The upcoming television series The Acolyte will be the first big test for the future of Star Wars as it takes fans into an unexplored era.
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The upcoming High Republic-set TV show The Acolyte will be the first big test for the future of Star Wars. Disney announced several new Star Wars shows and movies at its Investor Day on December 10, 2020, and among them, only The Acolyte will take fans on an entirely fresh Star Wars journey.
The Acolyte, said to be 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,” is being developed by Leslye Headland, known for her success with the Netflix series Russian Doll. Headland’s foray into the High Republic Era will be the first live action Star Wars movie or show to explore the galaxy in a truly unfamiliar time period. Set approximately 200 years before the events in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, the Jedi lead what is now being called the High Republic, during a moment in history when the galaxy is at relative peace and the republic functions as intended.
With their past success, Disney has stuck to the original timeline and characters set down by George Lucas. Everything from Star Wars: The Clone Wars to The Mandalorian, and even much of the sequel trilogy, focus on either ideas or characters that he created. Since 1977, Star Wars fans have grown up with shows and films focused on connecting the Skywalker storyline. Video games, such as Knights Of The Old Republic, and novels have gone outside of this and seen some success, but no films or series have yet reached out to the larger galaxy of possibilities. This will be a first for Disney, and given the emphasis on familiarity, it remains to be seen if they’re up to the task.
With the exception of possibly crossing paths with Yoda, there will be no familiar characters in this new series. This is a bold move for Disney, as each of their previous projects feature well-known characters, or at the very least, familiar settings. In the time of The Acolyte, the Skywalker line will have not yet been created, and even the droids will be of an earlier design. Not even previous Star Wars novels have focused on the High Republic era. James Luceno’s novel, Darth Plagueis, comes close, but Plagueis’ dark side training and betrayal of his master, Darth Tenebrous would still be at the tail end of the High Republic, and the novel has been moved to the Legends timeline, so Tenebrous’ existence is conjecture for now. The other Jedi and Sith that fans know do not have the lifespan of Master Yoda, and they would not yet exist during this new period. Without a familiar face leading The Acolyte, viewers will be forced to connect to Star Wars in a new way, with little background or nostalgia to guide them.
Disney has been successful with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels and The Mandalorian, but each of these connects pieces of the Skywalker saga together. Are fans ready for a story that removes them from the confines of what Star Wars has always been? Each of the above series has introduced new characters that have become beloved additions to the Star Wars canon, such as Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, and even the Frog Lady. This bodes particularly well for the success of The Acolyte, as it will be a female-led cast.
Disney knows that Star Wars fans can be picky, and they can be vocal about their likes and dislikes when it comes to the saga. For all of its success, the sequel trilogy was faced with backlash, as were the prequels when they were released. However, diehard fans have also clamored for more storytelling focused on The Old Republic, showing that they are open to new ideas to be added to Star Wars lore. It may appeal to them, but Disney still needs something to appeal to the casual viewer if they are to continue making successful and accessible Star Wars series. So a female-led, dark themed TV show set in a new time period with unknown characters will be a challenge for Disney+ and the future of Star Wars storytelling. If they can pull this one off, the future of Star Wars may be unlimited.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/star-wars-high-republic-acolyte-show-future-test/