‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ Creator Says Pitch For New ‘Star Wars’ Show Was ‘Frozen’ Meets ‘Kill Bill’

After a wait that felt like years, Lucasfilm finally unveiled the first look and trailer of the new “Star Wars” mystery thriller, “The Acolyte.” With the veil on the shadowy, secretive project lifted, the show’s creator, Leslye Headland (“Russian Doll”), could finally delve into the series’ details. In A new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Headland spoke about the series’ influences, such as “Kill Bill” and “Rashomon,” and how exactly she pitched the idea to Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy.

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“As soon as ‘Russian Doll’ came out, I was like, ‘I’m calling Lucasfilm. That’s where I want to work. That’s what I want to do,’ Headland told THR of her lifelong dream. “So, I pitched them. My elevator pitch was ‘Frozen’ meets ‘Kill Bill,’ which I said at [Star Wars] Celebration, and I went through what I believed would be a rough season one outline and then an overall series bible, essentially. And Kathleen [Kennedy] bought it in the room and said, “I love it. I want to start working on it.” 

The “Star Wars” franchise has a long history of utilizing existing material. The original film drew elements from Frank Herbert’s “Dune” novels for settings, characters, dynamics, and technologies. At the same time, George Lucas used elements from Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress” as a narrative jumping point for the sci-fi fantasy franchise. Borrowing from media that creatives enjoy has long been an accepted aspect of these films and shows. 

Other films Headland cites as influencing the show include Kurosawa’s samurai pictures “Rashomon” and “Yojimbo,” as well as the wuxia film genre with pics like Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and the classic Shaw Brothers flick “Come Drink With Me,” directed by King Hu. 

“The Acolyte” will be the very first live-action interpretation of the High Republic era (set 100 years before the events of the prequels). With that, Headland hopes it will be a welcomed entry point for newcomers, even if they haven’t read the recent wave of published books or watched other projects set in the expansive universe. “You don’t need to know too much to enter the story,” she says. The show also includes the established High Republic Jedi character Vernestra Rwoh (played by Rebecca Henderson; you can see an official image above). 

“Star Wars: The Acolyte” will premiere on June 4 with a two-episode premiere on Disney+. You can watch the tantalizing trailer below, which hopes to get newbies and fans invested in The High Republic era.