Shortly after Disney acquired Lucasfilm a number of projects in development at the studio were either canceled outright or locked up in a dark closet somewhere (like Seth Green's off-color spoof series "Star Wars Detours"). One of those projects that was quietly canceled was the long-running "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" TV series, which debuted in 2008 on the Cartoon Network and had gained a healthy following in the years that followed, amassing more than 100 episodes. Fans were promised that a new, altogether different series would be announced soon, though, and today that has come to pass. New computer-animated series "Star Wars Rebels" has been announced, to air on Disney XD in fall 2014. This, admittedly, sounds pretty cool.
"Star Wars Rebels" will be set in the period of time between "Star Wars: Episode III" and "Star Wars: Episode IV." In a brief promotional video on the Star Wars website, you can see executive producer Dave Filoni (who also oversaw "Clone Wars") lovingly caressing an "Art of Star Wars" book, saying they drew inspiration from original designer Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for the first film.
Filoni is joined by Simon Kinberg, who will serve as an executive producer and script the one-hour pilot of the series (which will air on the Disney Channel initially); Kinberg is heavily involved in Disney's grand design for the "Star Wars" universe, serving as a consultant on the J.J. Abrams-directed "Star Wars: Episode VII" and writing a standalone feature set in the universe. Filoni will be joined by Greg Weisman, an executive producer who has worked on everything from "Young Justice" to "Spectacular Spider-Man" but is probably best known for the beloved Disney animated series "Gargoyles."
The official statement describes the series as taking place "in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape." The statement then quickly adds: "Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point."
This seems to be a particularly fertile setting in the "Star Wars" universe, as Brian Wood's recent, totally brilliant "Star Wars" comic book takes place about three months after the original "Star Wars" ended.
"Star Wars Rebels" will hit Disney XD in fall of 2014, while "Star Wars: Episode VII" follows closely in the summer of 2015. Make sure your lightsabers are fully charged.
[via Star Wars]
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