Lucasfilm has confirmed that Dafne Keen, the young star of Logan and HBO’s His Dark Materials, has joined the cast of its new Star Wars series The Acolyte, as first reported by The Hot Mic podcast, presented by Above the Line.
Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies) is set to star in the series alongside Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), and Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim). Joining that quartet and 17-year-old Keen are Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), and Dean-Charles Chapman, who played the second lead in Sam Mendes‘ war drama 1917.
The Acolyte will be a bit different than your typical Star Wars series, as it’s described as a mystery-thriller set in the final days of the High Republic era. Stenberg will play a former Padawan who reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, though the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.
The series hails from creator Leslye Headland, who will also direct the first episode and serve as showrunner. Additionally, Headland will executive produce alongside Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy as well as Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef, while Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson will serve as producers on The Acolyte, which is currently in production.
The Acolyte is the latest Star Wars series bound for Disney+ following The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Andor, which is slated to wrap its 12-episode first season on Nov. 23. Though we’re unlikely to see a new Star Wars movie on the big screen until late 2025, the third season of The Mandalorian is poised to drop in February.
Lucasfilm is also developing a Skeleton Crew series starring Jude Law, as well as the spinoff Ahsoka starring Rosario Dawson.
