A major Sith Lord could feature in upcoming Star Wars show The Acolyte, if a new rumor is to be believed.
An unnamed inside source recently claimed that legendary Dark Side practitioner Darth Plagueis will make his on-screen debut in the Disney+ series, reports The Bespin Bulletin. The insider declined to say how the Sith Lord factors into the plot of The Acolyte, nor how big the villain's role will be. Darth Plagueis was first referenced in 2005's Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, when Chancellor Palpatine shares the story of Plagueis' quest for immortality and eventual downfall with Anakin Skywalker. It's worth noting that neither Disney+ nor Lucasfilm have confirmed that Darth Plagueis will appear in The Acolyte, which means his alleged involvement in the show should be treated as pure speculation for now.
Even so, the rumor that Darth Plagueis has a part to play in The Acolyte tracks with earlier comments by Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy that the series will delve into Expanded Universe lore. [Showrunner Leslye Headland] is a gigantic Star Wars fan," Kennedy said. "What's wonderful about Leslye is she knows it all. I mean, she's read a gazillion books inside the [Expanded Universe]. There are little bits and pieces that she's drawing from that no one has explored yet in onscreen storytelling." As Darth Plagueis' backstory was primarily covered in Expanded Universe media, it's possible (but far from certain) that Kennedy's remarks were at least partly referring to him.
Production on The Acolyte Jumps to Hyperspace
Lucasfilm first announced The Acolyte in April 2020 and production on the Star Wars series has progressed steadily in the years since. The production has started to ramp up more recently, following confirmation that The Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg is officially onboard to headline the show. The actor broke the news via Instagram in July 2022, sharing a photo of herself wearing a Darth Maul T-shirt and leaning against an R2-D2 prop. This ended months of speculation that Stenberg would portray The Acolyte's as-yet-undisclosed lead role.
There are also reports that Loki director Kate Herron is attached to The Acolyte, as well. That said, the sources behind these reports aren't clear on whether Herron is still in talks to join the production or whether she's formally signed on. They also didn't specify whether the director would helm some or all of The Acolyte's episodes, if she is indeed part of the show's crew.
The Acolyte does not yet have a release date.
Source: Bespin Bulletin