Star Wars' The Acolyte is heavily inspired by The Phantom Menace

The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland has started slowly revealing more details about the mysterious Star Wars show. While we know that the show is political in nature and set during the fall of the High Republic.

As time goes on, more details are slowly being revealed. According to the show's writer, the Dark Side storyline will be heavily inspired by Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.

The Acolyte and The Phantom Menace

In an interview with The Wrap, writer Leslye Headland explained that the prequels are important to her journey as a Star Wars fan. The writer explained that she grew up with the prequel trilogy. Consequently, the trilogy will be informing the future of The Acolyte.

She said:

"The reason it did appeal to me personally is that I was 18 when ‘Phantom Menace’ came out, and I was a very, very big ‘Star Wars’ fan. I remain a big ‘Star Wars’ fan, but at that particular time, right after the re-releases and the fact that I was in high school, it just kind of all coincided at a time where I was discovering who I was sexually, I was discovering who I was artistically, I was kind of realizing what I wanted to do with my life. And then this big, huge movie event, cultural event happened that was ‘The Phantom Menace.'"

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The prequels made her wonder

Star Wars' prequel era has left a lasting impression, despite the films’ overall negative reception. The trilogy’s incredible world building showed an entirely new side of the Star Wars universe that fans have never forgotten.

For The Acolyte writer, this sense of wonderment has always stayed with her.

"I kind of wondered, but what happened to lead up to this? That’s kind of where my ‘Star Wars’ fan brain went was like, ‘How did we get here?’ And why are the Jedi like this? When they are in power, why are they acting this way and how is it that they’re not having the reaction that you would think they would to Anakin’s presence and what Qui-Gon Jinn is saying about how passionately he feels about training him and bringing him into the fold. It’s like, even the discovery of Darth Maul is kind of met with this like, ‘Hm, interesting’ kind of feeling. So I just think for me, my brain has always buzzed around that area and wondered what’s going on here — or what has been going on here.”

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