Hello there! Before we continue with the news, I kindly ask you to consider showing your support and appreciation for my work by tipping me via my Ko-Fi page here. Tips are quite rare around these parts, but I assure you no matter how big or small, each tip is deeply appreciated. Now, let’s get on with the news!
Over the last few days I’ve had a handful of people reach out to me who were curious about a large production taking place on Madeira Island, Portugal. Some of these people suspected it was a Star Wars production, but had no proof at the time, with local television stations just referring to it as a franchise with international notoriety. Now, Madeira Island News, has released a number of images from set, and though they know it’s a Star Wars production, they don’t know what Star Wars project it is, with the outlet speculating it could be for the next Star Wars film slated for release in 2025. However, my own sources have revealed to me that the project shooting on Madeira Island is in fact, The Acolyte, the upcoming Star Wars series set during the High Republic which was created by Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), and that PDX signs can be spotted in the area.
You may remember I was the first to break that Star Wars: The Acolyte was shooting in Wales back in December, and it was during that time I revealed that signage associated with the production sported the letters PDX, which stands for Paradox, the codename of the series. So if there are any Portuguese readers of Bespin Bulletin, keep an eye out for pink signs with the letters PDX, and if you follow them, you may just see a Star Wars production take place before your very eyes.
The production is taking place on the north coast of Madeira Island, near Riberia da Janela, which is where the images taken by Madeira Island News are from. Looking at the landscape in the images, I can’t help but wonder if the scenes are tied to the ones shot in Wales, which featured a lot of greenery, with the scenes shot in Wales also utilising reservoirs. I can’t help but wonder if we’ll see a temple of some sorts during these scenes being filmed at Madeira Island given what can be seen in the images below.
Star Wars: The Acolyte began filming in October at Shinfield Studios, Berkshire and production is set to run on the series up until April. The series created by Leslye Headland see’s a former padawan reunite with her Jedi master as they investigate a series on crimes, but the forces they encounter are more sinister than anything they could’ve imagined. The series stars Amandla Stenberg (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies) as the lead, as well as Lee Jung Jas (Squid Game), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang), Charlie Bennett (Russian Doll), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Dean Charles Chapman (1917), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) and Margarita Levieva (Daredevil: Born Again).
The Acolyte is expected to release exclusively on Disney+ sometime next year.
Thank you for reading the article and if you enjoyed your read, or if you’re a regular reader of Bespin Bulletin then I kindly ask if you’d consider showing your support and appreciation by tipping me via my Ko-Fi page here, each tip is deeply appreciated. You can also listen to the latest episode of our podcast, BOB The Podcast, at the bottom of this page and on all good podcast services (new episodes release on Thursdays) and you if you’re not already doing so, follow me on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Hive, and Mastodon.