Disney+’s The Acolyte has found a lead for the series set in the Star Wars universe. Deadline reports Amandla Stenberg has been cast in the upcoming mystery thriller. The show was first announced at the streamer’s December 2020 investors day, now come to be known as Disney Plus Day.
Stenberg is best known for their early supporting role as Rue in The Hunger Games. They have since starred in the drama, The Hate U Give, Netflix’s The Eddy, and most recently, this year’s musical film adaptation, Dear Evan Hansen.
As far as The Acolyte, not much has been revealed about Stenberg’s role, according to Deadline. The series is set to place near the end of the High Republic’s reign, amidst the dark realm of those who learn to master the dark side of the Force underneath Sith Lords. Film and television director, Leslye Headland, is attached as head writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Headland is known for her work on Netflix’s Russian Doll with Natasha Lyonne, rom-com remake, About Last Night, and 2008’s horror thriller, Cloverfield.
The Acolyte joins an impressive slate of other Star Wars series under the Disney+ umbrella. Fans have already consumed two seasons of Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us, Game of Thrones) as The Mandalorian, with season three currently in production. In three weeks, The Book of Boba Fett will premiere as a spinoff of Pascal’s series.
For 2022 and beyond, a second Mandalorian spinoff, Ashoka, is accumulating more of its cast with Rosario Dawson (DMZ, Dopesick) set as the lead. Ewan McGregor (Halston, Birds of Prey) will reprise his second Star Wars trilogy role for Obi-Wan Kenobi, which will see him reunite with Hayden Christiansen’s (Life as House) Anakin Skywalker. And The Terminal’s Diego Luna is preparing to return as Andor in the Rogue One prequel series.