The Acolyte showrunner hypes up “gnarly fight” after rave reactions

The Acolyte showrunner Leslie Headland has teased a particularly intense fight sequence, as early audiences continue to shower the show in praise.

Set in the beginning of the Star Wars timeline, The Acolyte will allow viewers to see what life was like before the Skywalker era of the franchise.

Audiences who have seen the first four episodes can’t stop raving about the series’ story, characters, and action. So, as a bit of a treat, Headland and lead actress Amandla Stenberg hinted that some cool fight footage will be shown in a later episode.

“I will say that when you get to Episode 5, we mix it up,” Headland told ScreenRant.” There’s one fight that I was thinking specifically that you have that’s hand combat, and it’s very down and dirty and scrappy, if you will.”

Stenberg continued the director’s statement, “I don’t want to say too much, but the stunt or sequence that I’m the proudest of is a girl fight that gets gnarly.”

Episode 5’s fight sounds like a big departure from the gracefully choreographed duels between Stenberg and Carrie-Anne Moss that can be seen in The Acolyte’s new trailer, so the actress could be fighting someone else in the cast.

Since this encounter will be more scrappy and brutal, Stenberg’s Mae could be facing off against Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen), the new Padawan of Mae’s old Jedi Master Sol.

There is a chance that the fight could be between Mae and a villain whose identity may have been spoiled, but viewers will have to wait until the episode airs to find out.

No matter who Stenberg fights, The Acolyte is sure to continue receiving rave reviews as critics can’t seem to get enough of it.

“I’ve seen four episodes of #TheAcolyte and, thus far, it’s a *very* big winner. The cast of characters, the heavy emphasis on practical effects, the stunts, how they’re exploring what it means to be a Force-user and how the Jedi Order operates — it’s all working quite well for me,” one critic tweeted.

Another wrote, “#TheAcolyte is a blend of murder mystery with Star Wars charm. 4 episodes in, and it’s clear that this new timeline will add to the lore of the galaxy in BIG ways. The Kung Fu force fighting is MAGICAL! JJ as Sol is the COOLEST Jedi since QUI GON! Can’t wait to see where it goes.”

And a third critic praised Headland and the fight choreography, saying, “#TheAcolyte is off to a promising start. Under the expert guidance of Leslye Headland, the series explores the lore of the Jedi with aplomb. The visuals are stunning, and the fights incredibly choreographed. The result is a rich and rewarding #StarWars series that delivers.”

The Acolyte is set to premiere on June 4 through Disney+. In the meantime, keep up with more Star Wars projects like Andor Season 2 and Tales of the Jedi Season 2. 

And you can find even more amazing new movies and TV shows streaming this month, or dive into all the new true crime documentaries around right now. If that’s not enough, find out what’s in store this year for K-dramas coming to Netflix.