High Republic-set Star Wars series The Acolyte has been in development for almost two and a half years, but only now are the casting pieces beginning to fall into place, with the star of a Netflix sensation becoming the latest high-profile name to board the ensemble.
Deadline reveals that Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae has been cast as the male lead in the project set to air on Disney Plus. Details about his character are not known at this time, but this is his first major studio role in Hollywood, and the project will be a mystery-thriller in a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging evil set during the final days of the High Republic era. Acolytes in Star Wars can be individuals with powers who learn from a more experienced Sith Lord, and Lee is joined by a strong creative team.
Amandla Stenberg is in the female lead role. Jodie Turner-Smith is also joining the cast, while behind the scenes Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland is acting as executive producer and showrunner. The series will have martial arts influences – as Headland said recently; the key with Star Wars is to go back to things it was inspired by, bringing the franchise full circle to George Lucas’ love of legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s samurai stories.
Next on the horizon for Lee is his feature-length directorial debut Hunt, and he’ll also appear in the second season of Squid Game, while he’s additionally up for an Emmy Award at the upcoming ceremony, where he is also presenting and could end up making history with a possible win.