The Acolyte showrunner wants to make a KOTOR movie, but not the one fans think

The Acolyte has got Star Wars fans thinking about Knights of the Old Republic, including showrunner Leslye Headland, who has an idea for a KOTOR movie – with a twist.

Fans hearing about a Knights of the Old Republic movie with a twist probably sat up in their seats, but it’s not the one they think. Star Wars: The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland revealed in an interview with Omelete (translated via IGN) that she wants to make a KOTOR movie that doesn’t focus on Darth Revan.

Instead, Headland explains, she wants to make a movie focusing on Knights of the Old Republic 2, specifically the game’s blind Jedi master, Kreia.

“I’ve always wanted to explore a live-action version of the Knights of the Old Republic game and Kreia’s character,” Headland tells Omelete. “I think it would be a really interesting story to bring to life.”

A movie focusing on Kreia would certainly be a twist, considering the many rumors over the years of Knights of the Old Republic getting some kind of adaptation. The 2003 roleplaying game is considered an all-time classic and still, to this day, one of the best Star Wars games of any genre.

A lot of that love is for KOTOR’s cinematic presentation and old-school D&D gameplay. But its staying power is due to its shocking third-act twist: you, the player, are in fact the Sith Lord Darth Revan, whose mind has been wiped by the Jedi.

Kreia herself is another massive Star Wars twist, though it never received as much attention as Revan. While Knight of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is largely considered the better game, its legacy is overshadowed by a buggy launch that persisted even into its Switch re-release.

Kreia is initially presented as a stoic and mysterious mentor to KOTOR 2’s player character, the Jedi Exile. But the endgame reveals Kreia is actually Darth Traya, the Lord of Betrayal, a Sith who has been manipulating events all along.

While Kreia may seem like an unusual choice, it would be logical. Revan’s story is not only well-known by fans but also more fleshed out, thanks to expanded content in games like the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic.

On the other hand, Kreia is much more of a blank canvas. She’s a familiar and beloved character to fans of the game but has nowhere near the pop culture saturation as Revan. Her story would be much more flexible for adapting, and her twist much more likely to shock fans.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Knights of the Old Republic as a whole. A film based on the first game was announced in 2019 but has never received further news. Meanwhile, a big-budget KOTOR remake appears to be in development hell.

KOTOR fans can always get their fix with Star Wars: The Acolyte, with new episodes streaming on Disney+ on Tuesdays. While you wait for a new episode, you can learn about all the new Jedi introduced by the series or read about the surprising twist in how today’s fans view Luke Skywalker.