The Star Wars Cinematic Universe is about to expand in a groundbreaking way with the introduction of the first live-action Wookiee Jedi in the upcoming Disney+ show, “Star Wars: The Acolyte.” The series, helmed by showrunner Leslye Headland, is set in the High Republic era, a time long before the Star Wars prequel trilogy when the Jedi Order was at its peak.
In a recent interview with the Dagobah Dispatch podcast, Headland confirmed the inclusion of a Wookiee Jedi in the series. The inspiration for this character came from “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and the performance of actor Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca. “It honestly started with Joonas,” Headland said. We thought it’d be cool to do a Wookiee, obviously they have a Wookiee Jedi in the High Republic, and we thought it’d be cool to have our own version of that and have a very different character design.
The Wookiee Jedi, named Kelnacca, was a character that Headland pitched repeatedly until it was approved. The character will be portrayed by Joonas Suotamo, and one intriguing detail revealed about Kelnacca is that one side of his head will be shaved, adding an element of uniqueness and intrigue to the character.
Headland explained her creative process, stating, “A lot of times these characters come up, even Amandla and JJ’s [Lee Jung-jae’s] characters, they come up almost from character design first. I can see the way that they look and the costumes that they wear, I’m a very visual person in that sense. So that’s how Kelnacca came to be. I just couldn’t resist being on set with a Wookiee, it was very selfish of me.”
In the current Disney Star Wars canon, the only other Wookiee Jedi is the youngling Gungi, who first appeared in season 5 of “The Clone Wars.” Gungi was seen traveling to Ilum to collect crystals for his lightsaber and recently reappeared in season 2 of “The Bad Batch,” where it was revealed he survived Order 66 before Clone Force 99 helped return him to his homeworld of Kashyyyk.
The introduction of Kelnacca as the first live-action Wookiee Jedi in a Star Wars project is a significant milestone. It was rumored for years that George Lucas was initially hesitant about the idea of Wookiee Jedi in his projects, until Dave Filoni’s idea for Gungi apparently changed his mind. Regardless of the veracity of this rumor, “The Acolyte” is set to make Star Wars history with the introduction of Kelnacca, a development that has fans eagerly anticipating the series.
Stay tuned for more updates on “Star Wars: The Acolyte” and other exciting developments in the realm of fantasy and science fiction.
FAQ
Q1: What is “Star Wars: The Acolyte”? A1: “Star Wars: The Acolyte” is an upcoming show on Disney+ set in the Star Wars Cinematic Universe. The series is set during the High Republic era, a time long before the Star Wars prequel trilogy when the Jedi Order was at its peak.
Q2: Who is the showrunner of “Star Wars: The Acolyte”? A2: The showrunner of “Star Wars: The Acolyte” is Leslye Headland.
Q3: What is unique about “Star Wars: The Acolyte”? A3: “Star Wars: The Acolyte” is set to make history by featuring the first live-action Wookiee Jedi.
Q4: Who is the Wookiee Jedi in “Star Wars: The Acolyte”? A4: The Wookiee Jedi in “Star Wars: The Acolyte” is a character named Kelnacca, who will be portrayed by actor Joonas Suotamo.
Q5: What was the inspiration behind the character of Kelnacca? A5: The inspiration for Kelnacca came from “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and the performance of actor Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca.
Q6: Are there any other Wookiee Jedi in the Star Wars canon? A6: In the current Disney Star Wars canon, the only other Wookiee Jedi is the youngling Gungi, who first appeared in season 5 of “The Clone Wars.
Q7: Was George Lucas supportive of the idea of Wookiee Jedi? A7: It was rumored for years that George Lucas was initially hesitant about the idea of Wookiee Jedi in his projects, until Dave Filoni’s idea for Gungi apparently changed his mind.
Q8: When is “Star Wars: The Acolyte” set to release? A8: The release date for “Star Wars: The Acolyte” has not been mentioned in the article. Please stay tuned for more updates.
