Created by Leslye Headland, The Acolyte introduced viewers to the end of the High Republic Era – the golden age of the Jedi and the Republic. The Acolyte may have been canceled, but the Disney+ TV show will always have an enduring legacy in that it shaped a whole new part of the Star Wars timeline. It showed the live-action Darth Plagueis in live-action for the first time, set up the Knights of Ren, and gave us a whole new Force cult. Now, Abram books is giving a fresh glimpse of this era in The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte, on sale February 3.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Abrams has given ComicBook this exclusive glimpse of The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte, showing concept art of some key moments in the first episode. The first is a beautiful glimpse of the planet Ueda, which featured a location designed as a homage to the famous Mos Eisley cantina. The version of Mae seen in this concept art is very different to the final character, clad in robes that are a deep Sith red and demonstrate her allegiance.
The second image shows an absolutely beautiful starship over a planet. At first glance, it appears to represent Mae’s time as a Meknek – a mechanic who worked on the hulls of starships, a job eventually replaced by Astromechs like Artoo-Detoo. That said, given the positions of the two characters visible in space, it’s possible this is also concept art for a battle scene that didn’t happen in the end. The vessel itself resembles Naboo designs, evoking a sense of the prequel trilogy.
Both pieces of artwork demonstrate just how much care and attention was put into The Acolyte. The Star Wars TV show may have been controversial, but it was crafted by people who are deeply committed to the franchise; Headland herself grew up with Star Wars, and was part of the fanbase during the prequel era. The design of the cantina was a real highlight, calling back Mos Eisley in fantastic style, while the very idea of Mekneks – of an entire career eventually rendered redundant because of droids – is absolutely genius.
Star Wars’ art books are always valuable, offering a glimpse of the entire creative process and featuring interviews with the designers. No doubt lovers of The Acolyte will be particularly interested in the designs for characters like Dafne Keen’s Jecki, Amandla Stenberg’s Osha and Mae, and of course Manny Jacinto’s mysterious Sith Lord, the Stranger. It’s available now for pre-order from Amazon. Here’s the full synopsis:
Set 100 years before The Phantom Menace, in the waning days of the High Republic, The Acolyte tells the story of a Jedi Master and their former Padawan as they investigate a sinister threat. Starring Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Carrie-Anne Moss, this series marked the first time the High Republic era of Star Wars appeared in live action.
Filled with interviews with key creatives from the series and never-before-seen art, THE ART OF STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE offers a firsthand account of working within this new era. The book also features a foreword by Leslye Headland, creator, writer, and executive producer of The Acolyte.
Excerpt from the new book The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte (Abrams) by Kristin Baver, on-sale February 3.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools. -
Courtesy of Saber Interactive -
Courtesy of TOHO Animation
