The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland was inspired by The Phantom Menace. That might raise a red flag amongst many fans because The Phantom Menace was hardly the greatest Star Wars movie. Though, I could kinda get where Headland was coming from when she spoke to The Wrap recently.
“What I can say is 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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“And I know there were varying reactions to it, and certainly there were a lot of people that had grown up with the original trilogy who were disappointed by it. But I actually was very intrigued by why George Lucas had started us at that particular point. 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.”
Despite not rating The Phantom Menace as much of a movie, I was intrigued by questions never answered. I have always hoped for a show or movie to be focused on the Darkside. My hope is that The Acolyte will be that project. However for now, who can say for sure?
What do you think about the comments from The Acolyte showrunner? Do you get what she means by being inspired by The Phantom Menace? Or, does that remain a red flag for you? Any thoughts below in the usual spot if you can.
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