Star Wars is gearing up to take viewers farther into the past than ever before. The new Disney+ series, The Acolyte, will take place a century before any event told on screen in the Star Wars universe so far. The series is set during the High Republic, a time when the Jedi Order was at the height of its power. It's an exciting new story outside of the franchise's Skywalker-centered canon—and one that fans of Star Wars' extended universe in novels, video games, and comic books, have long been looking forward to.

The new series stars Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies) as twin sisters Osha and Mae, who find themselves on opposite poles of the light and dark sides of the force. Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) plays Sol, Osha's Jedi Master, alongside Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) as Jedi Master Indara. The Acolyte also stars Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang) as Mother Aniseya, the leader of a coven of force witches, and Manny Jacinto (The Good Place) as smuggler Qimir.

For more information about The Acolyte, keep reading—and travel with us to a time long, long ago.

What Happens in The Acolyte?

Series creator Leslye Headland (Russian Doll)—who serves as head showrunner and co-director—told Entertainment Weekly that the original pitch for The Acolyte was "Frozen meets Kill Bill." As twin sisters Osha and Mae battle on opposing sides of the force, their mentors will seek to sway them to their cause. Set 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode 1—The Phantom Menace, the story takes place far before any Star Wars tale told on television or film. With a little luck, The Acolyte may even usher in a new franchise time period for the long-running sci-fi series.

When Does The Acolyte Premiere?

The Acolyte premieres its first two episodes on Disney+ this Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The series runs weekly for eight episodes through mid-July. South Korean filmmaker Kogonada (After Yang) directs two episodes of the series, following his successful Apple TV+ adaptation of Pachinko. For a full schedule, check out The Acolyte's release dates below.

Episode 1: “TBA” — June 4

Episode 2: “TBA” — June 4

Episode 3: “TBA” — June 11

Episode 4: “TBA” — June 18

Episode 5: “TBA” — June 25

Episode 6: “TBA” — July 2

Episode 7: “TBA” —July 9

Episode 8: “TBA” — July 16