Summary
New reports aboutStar Wars: The Acolytehave started to emerge following theStar WarsTV show’s cancelation, and one suggests thatKeanu Reeveswas nearly cast in one of the series' leading roles.The Acolytealready has a star-studded cast, from Carrie-Anne Moss to Lee Jung-jae, but it seems as if another star may have been close to joining this dazzling roster. While Jung-jae garnered plenty of praise inThe Acolytefor his role asMaster Soland was often pointed to as the series' highlight, this role was nearly played by someone else.
The Acolyte Ending Explained: The Shadow Of Darth Vader Descends In The High Republic Era
The Acolyte episode 8 wraps up season 1 of the High Republic show by casting the shadow of the dark side, and Darth Vader, over the Jedi Order.
Shared byThe InSneider,Keanu Reeves was reportedly in consideration for the role of Master Sol before it ultimately went to Jung-jae. While Reeves didn’t get the chance to star alongside his co-star fromThe Matrixin this particularStar Warsseries, Jeff Sneider goes on to add thatStar Warsis reportedly still interested in casting the actor in another project. Given that there are severalupcomingStar Warsmoviesin the works, Reeves certainly still has a chance to make his franchise debut, especially as a famous fancast forKnights of the Old Republic’s Darth Revan.
Leslye Headland Struggled To Create Master Sol Until She Saw Squid Game
The Character Would Have Been Very Different if Reeves Portrayed Him
This report has come as a shock to viewers who know the background of Master Sol’s character. It’s been stated byThe Acolyteshowrunner Leslye Headland thatshe had Jung-jae in mind for Sol even as she wrote the character, and that his role in 2021’sSquid Gameeven facilitated the way she wrote his character. Speaking toIGN, Headland went into more depth about this process and the inspiration she received from Jung-jae.
I had written this character, and I had no idea who to cast, and I had no idea who was going to be able to play all of these different level.I thought [about] Squid Game and I was like, ‘that’s the guy, that’s him. I don’t know how I get in touch with this person, I don’t know if they want to perform in English.’ To me, it became so clearly [Lee]’s part, as opposed to [casting him for] the fact he’s a Korean movie star.
Headland’s honesty about getting inspiration for Sol from Jung-jae seems to contradict the idea that Reeves was in the running for the role, though the timeline could help explain how and why that is. Sol would have been a key part ofThe Acolyte’s pitch, prior to him being fully written, and that may have been the stage at whichStar Warswas looking at Reeves for a potential casting. Then, onceThe Acolytewas actually being written, this changed as Headland developed her script.
Either way, it’s interesting this kind of report is breaking just afterThe Acolyte’s cancelation - and Jung-jae’s open criticism ofStar Wars’decision to do so.The Acolyteaside, however,there’s still plenty of opportunity for Reeves to join anotherStar Warsproject. As stated above, Reeves has long since been a popular fancast for Darth Revan, which means a potential project focused on theOld Republic eracould feature him in that role.The Acolytemay not have been Reeves' time to join the galaxy, but that doesn’t mean it’s still impossible for him to do so.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
