SUMMARY
  • Industry insider states Keanu Reeves was the first choice for Master Sol in Star Wars: The Acolyte.
  • Fans state even Reeves' casting would have not been enough to save the show.
  • Lee Jung-jae hopes The Acolyte season two will return someday in future.

Created by Leslye Headland, Star Wars: The Acolyte portrayed the events before the Skywalker Saga’s events and followed a Jedi investigation into a series of crimes. The first season of the show starring Lee Jung-jae, Amandla Sternberg, Jodie Turner-Smith, and more, initially received mixed responses from the audience and was eventually canceled.

Keanu Reeves could have played a significant role in Star Wars: The Acolyte
The Acolyte | Credits: Lucasfilm

It was reported that the show became the subject of a review bombing campaign as the audience felt that the series was ‘woke’. Ardent Star Wars also believed that creator Leslye Headland, who is the first woman to create a Star Wars franchise, was pushing an LGBTQ+ agenda with the show. An industry insider also mentioned in a recent report that Keanu Reeves almost starred on the show.

Fans argue even Keanu Reeves as Master Sol couldn’t save Star Wars: The Acolyte

According to industry Jeff Sneider (via Discussing Films), actor Keanu Reeves almost played the role of Master Sol in the recently canceled Star Wars: The Acolyte, which eventually went to Squid Games actor Lee Jung-jae. The reason the audience couldn’t see Reeves as the Jedi Master was because of his scheduling conflicts.

Keanu Reeves, who is known for his action skills and incredible acting, was the studio’s first choice to play Master Sol, as not only is he one of the most loved actors in the industry but also someone who fans believed would fit perfectly in a space opera series. However, fans argued that his casting would not have made any difference to the show or prevented it from being canceled. A user wrote,

Even he couldn’t have saved this show.

The reason why people trust that Keanu Reeves in The Acolyte wouldn’t have changed their faith is because of the bad writing, plot, and acting. Another user mentioned that Reeves would have been successful in drawing the attention of the public to the show and getting the viewership to a point where it would have been renewed for season 2.

Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves was considered for role Jedi Master | Credits: Summit Entertainment

An X user wrote, ‘They were going to waste Keanu on the Acolyte?’ A fan explained in their tweet that getting top actors to play the part in the series will not save Star Wars, but removing inexperienced writers and social activists will. They continued that studios should focus on erasing phony, forced social and feminist agendas, and rebuilding the male theme of Luke Skywalker as a boy-hero will bring back Star Wars.

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When it was announced that The Acolyte was canceled and later that Reeves was being considered for the part of Master Sol, fans believed that the studios could still redeem itself by casting him in Jedi Revan. Revan was a Jedi Knight who renounced the Jedi Order, switched to the dark side, and became the Dark Lord of the Sith. Revan remains one of the most powerful characters in Star Wars, and having Reeves play him on-screen would be a dream come true. However, there have been no plans announced for the John Wick star to join Star Wars.

Lee Jung-jae was surprised by the cancellation of The Acolyte after Season 1

Squid Games actor Lee Jung-jae, who played Master Sol in The Acolyte, shared with EW that he was quite surprised when the makers decided to cancel the show after one season. He said,

As you know, my character had died already in the first season. So, I wouldn’t have appeared in the second season if there was one anyway. But personally speaking, I really loved Leslye’s writing. I thought that she was a great writer and director who was very talented in storytelling, as well as in creating characters and creating meaningful structures within the story.

Keanu Reeves was considered to play Master Sol
Lee Jung-jae surprised with show’s cancelation | Credits: Lucasfilm

The South Korean actor added that he was personally looking forward to watching season 2 with her at the helm. He added that he was quite surprised and disappointed when he heard the news. But he also mentioned that he hopes that someday in the future, with some changes, maybe the studios will consider bringing it back with, of course, Leslye Headland.

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Master Sol died towards the end of season 1 by being force-chocked to death by his former Padawan Osha, played by Amandla Sternberg. The actress is yet to comment on the show being canceled. The Acolyte holds an 18% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while it has a 78% critics score.

Star Wars: The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.

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