The John Wick star was reportedly the first choice for one of the main roles in The Acolyte.
After a lukewarm reception from the masses, Lucasfilm opted to cancel The Acolyte after a single season on Disney+. The series featured an ensemble cast, including Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) as the enigmatic Jedi Master Sol. As it turns out, Lee may have not been Lucasfilm’s first choice for the role—a new report from one Hollywood insider suggests the production house initially tried to get Keanu Reeves for the role.
“While I’m told that contrary to that report, Reeves never filmed a scene for The Acolyte, he had been in talks for the role ultimately played by Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, whose character was killed off at the end of Season 1,” Jeff Sneider said in his latest newsletter.
As the insider explains, Lionsgate wouldn’t allow Reeves to adjust his shooting schedule on Ballerina, the highly anticipated John Wick spinoff, the flagship franchise of the studio.
“While studio insiders have countered that Reeves was never formally offered the role, I’m told he was very interested in doing the show, which wound up casting his Matrix co-star Carrie-Anne Moss — another selling point for him,” Sneider explained. “In fact, don’t be surprised if Reeves finds his way into the Star Wars franchise down the line, as Lucasfilm remains high on the actor, whose interest has been noted internally.”
Sneider also noted Lucasfilm chose to cancel The Acolyte due to low viewership numbers, rather than the direct result of review bombing or fan reaction.
What Is Star Wars: The Acolyte About?
Set during The High Republic, Star Wars: The Acolyte delivers an investigation into a mysterious string of crimes, which pits a Jedi master against his former apprentice in a race to uncover the truth. The more that the pair learn about the situation, the darker their journey becomes, as they confront things that darker than either of them could have imagined.
The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. Star Wars: The Acolyte premiered on Disney+ on June 4th.