Next week will finally see the release of the new live-action Star Wars series, The Acolyte, which will bow on Disney+ on June 4th (June 5th for Europeans) with a two episode premiere. Promotion for the series has been ramping up in recent weeks as expected, and those who’ve shared social media reactions to the first two episodes paint the series in a very positive light, which is good to hear.
Just a couple of months ago, Leslye Headland, the series creator, showrunner, writer and director, revealed that episodes of the series would run between 30 to 40 minutes. Some fans reacted negatively to the news, wanting longer runtimes for the series. I’ve always personally found that idea quite strange, just because an episode is 50 minutes instead of 30, doesn’t mean it’s going to be better. It’s all about pacing and that judgment can’t be made until we’ve seen the episode in question. So I’ve always found it strange to see so many kick up a fuss about an episode or movies runtime before getting to see it. Anyway, I’m sure those fans are going to love what I’m about to share.
From what I’ve been hearing, Headland was very honest with her past comments about the episodes runtimes. I’ve heard that the first four episodes run between 42 minutes and 32 minutes. I do not know if this includes the end credits and the obligatory previous episode recap that we find attached to the Star Wars series, which gets included in the runtime on Disney+.
Episode 1: 41 minutes
Episode 2: 36 minutes
Episode 3: 42 minutes
Episode 4: 32 minutes
Personally I’m very much looking forward to The Acolyte. I was hearing good things about the series when it was in production and I’ve heard mostly good things now that the series is on the verge of release. I hope the series lives up to those comments and it gains a strong audience on the streaming service. Outside of our Star Wars bubble there seems to be little interest or excitement. But I hope that positive reviews and word of mouth attract viewers to the series over time. Though Andor being a critical darling didn’t help its viewership.
Set during the High Republic era, The Acolyte, will follow an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.
The Acolyte stars Amandla Stenberg (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies) as the lead, as well as Lee Jung Jae (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 premieres on Disney+ on June 4th with TWO episodes.
