Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV series)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a 2008 3D CGI animated television series set in the Star Wars galaxy. Currently set to debut in 2008, it will be a 3-D expansion and continuation of the 2003 series of the same name. Currently, fifteen episodes are confirmed to be released. Each episode will run around thirty minutes. At April 2005's Star Wars Celebration III, George Lucas stated that, "you know we are working on a 3-D continuation of the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network, we probably won't start that project for another year". Genndy Tartakovsky, director of the original series, will not be involved with the production.

The show will continue telling the stories which began in the original Star Wars: Clone Wars series, which Lucas refers to as the "pilot series." It is set, just like the 2-D version, during the 3-year time period in which the Clone Wars took place, between the events of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It is likely to focus on more of the stories and battles between the Republic, led by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, led by Count Dooku and General Grievous, except in a 3-D format.

A trailer was released on StarWars.com on May 27, 2007. Watch it here!

Season I
There will be at least twenty-six episodes, with the eleventh currently titled Destroy Malevolence.

Voice cast

 * Anthony Daniels&mdash;C-3PO
 * Frank Oz&mdash;Yoda
 * Matthew Wood&mdash;General Grievous

Crew
Directors:
 * Brian O'Connell
 * Dave Bullock  (multiple episodes)
 * Rob Coleman  (multiple episodes)
 * Dave Filoni  (supervising)
 * George Samilski  (one episode)

Writers:
 * Kevin Campbell  writer
 * Henry Gilroy  writer
 * George Krstic  writer
 * George Lucas&mdash;characters and universe/creator and creative guide
 * Scott Murphy  writer (2007)
 * Randy Stradley (co-wrote one episode)

Producers: Film editor: Production management : Second Unit Director or Assistant Director Art department: Sound department: Visual effects: Animation department:
 * George Lucas .... executive producer
 * Sarah Wall .... associate producer
 * Catherine Winder .... executive producer
 * Jason Tucker
 * Trisha Brunner .... post-production supervisor (2008)
 * Justin Ridge .... assistant director
 * Steward Lee .... storyboard artist
 * Justin Ridge .... storyboard artist
 * David Acord .... sound designer (2008)
 * Sean England .... foley recordist (2008)
 * Jon Childress Farmer .... modeler (2008)
 * Ryan Heuett .... lead layout artist
 * Shawn Lovette .... layout artist
 * Greg Maguire .... research & development supervisor (2007)
 * Gregory Rizzi .... pre-visualization artist
 * Daniel Zizmor .... pre-visualization/effects artist
 * Chris Kubch&mdash;Head of Lucasfilm Animation's Singapore location
 * Rob Coleman&mdash;Animation director/character animation supervisor
 * Mark Gelfuso .... layout artist
 * Kilian Plunkett
 * 300 other digital artists

Editorial department: Other crew:
 * Jules Beesley .... assistant editor
 * Laura Sevier .... rights and clearances

Catherine Winder and Dave Filoni are scheduled to appear at Celebration IV on Sunday May 27, 2007 in the Celebration Theater (Room 408AB). Winder and Filoni are set to explain the origins of the series and the production process during the last two years. Rob Coleman and George Lucas have each suggested that footage from the show will be shown at the event.

Characters

 * Padmé Amidala
 * Asoka
 * C-3PO
 * Dooku
 * Kit Fisto
 * Grievous
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Palpatine
 * R2-D2
 * Anakin Skywalker
 * Asajj Ventress
 * Mace Windu
 * Yoda

Droid models

 * 3PO-series protocol droid
 * B-1 battle droid
 * B-2 battle droid
 * DSD1 dwarf spider droid
 * R2-series astromech droid

Events

 * Clone Wars

Locations

 * Coruscant
 * Chancellor's office

Organizations and titles

 * Clone trooper
 * Confederacy of Independent Systems
 * Galactic Republic
 * Grand Army of the Republic
 * Jedi Order
 * Order of the Sith Lords
 * Supreme Chancellor

Sapient species

 * Human
 * Kaleesh
 * Kel Dor
 * Korun
 * Nautolan
 * Rattataki
 * Togruta
 * Unknown tridactyl species

Vehicles and vessels

 * Acclamator-class assault ship
 * AT-TE
 * Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor
 * LAAT
 * STAP
 * V-19 Torrent starfighter
 * Venator-class Star Destroyer
 * Vulture droid

Weapons and technology

 * Blaster
 * Lightsaber

Miscellanea

 * Force choke

Development
At the July 12, 2005 Comic-Con, several announcements were made on the work on the series. As of July 15, 2005, preproduction had begun on the series, according to head of Lucasfilm fan relations, Steve Sansweet. Sansweet referred to the series as: "the next generation of the Star Wars saga, a cutting edge 30-minute, 3-D computer-animation series based on the Clone Wars that take place between Episode II ... and Episode III." Sansweet described the look of the new series as, "a melding of Asian anime with unique 3-D animation styling." According to another statement by Sansweet, "Over the next several years, Lucasfilm Animation will be hiring a total of about 300 digital artists and others in both California and Singapore locations to produce not only the series, but animated feature films in the years ahead." He says about the series, that, "To get the series underway, Lucasfilm Animation has hired key production and creative talent to lead the development of its first animation project." Steve Sansweet has said that "A large component of the future of Star Wars and Lucasfilm is digital animation." Gail Currey, who's the Vice President and General Manager of Lucasfilm Animation has stated that the early episodic treatments for the series are absolutely amazing, and that she can't wait to share this treat with Star Wars fans."

The series will be realized as a 3-D computer animation project created by the new Lucasfilm Animation division in their Singapore and California locations. Sansweet described the style as "a melding of Asian anime with unique 3-D animation styling." Each episode will be 30-minutes long and follow an arcing, serial storyline to cover the period between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.

On July 21st, 2006, at Comic-Con, Sansweet confirmed that the show was already in production, and that footage will be shown at Celebration IV. The series will be set late during the Clone Wars after Anakin Skywalker has achieved the rank of Jedi Knight. Sansweet explains: "We've been spending the last couple of years building from scratch two new state-of-the-art digital animation companies, one at Skywalker Ranch and one in Singapore," explained Sansweet. "The scripts for the first batch of shows have been completed, and Animation is hard at work on the first episodes." George Lucas is serving as creator and creative guide and Rob Coleman is supervising the character animation. Many familiar faces are slated to return, including Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Count Dooku, Palpatine, General Grievous and Asajj Ventress.

On February 15th, 2006, Steve Sansweet revealed in an interview that:


 * 1) On release dates and production: We're doing it in two phases. The first is Star Wars animation, which is CG 3-dimensional animation, like a Toy Story, that takes place during the period of the Clone Wars that takes place between Episodes 2 and 3. And that we're setting for Fall of 2007. Preproduction is underway, we're doing animation test, people are working on initial scripts. So we're well under way on that. And George is very much taking hand and is very much part of the whole process. I know some people thought maybe he would just say, "hey, go do it," but George is Star Wars and he's always gonna be very closely involved in this.
 * 2) On villains: I think it's possible that we're going to see villains that we already know, like Grievous. I think it's way to early to speculate what's going to happen in the TV show. I think George has an idea of what he wants to do, where he wants to go with it, what kinds of characters he wants in it, but that's something...he's working on the animation right now...that he'll explore later.

According to Randy Stradley, editor and author of Dark Horse Comics, he has met with Lucas Animation to discuss integrating the show with the Clone Wars comics; according to him, "I expect fans to be pleasantly surprised."

Anthony Daniels confirmed that had has been contacted by Lucasfilm in regards to working on the show, and on the August 28 update of his site confirmed he had finished recording his scenes.

According to a video interview with Rob Coleman from Imagina 2007
 * As of February 7th, 2007, 15 episodes were in various stages of production
 * One episode fully completed; another almost completed
 * Coleman is set to direct 5 of first 26 episodes
 * Coleman said "They're looking fabulous, they're looking great..." and "Our stuff is incredible compared to what's out there..."
 * Some licensees have viewed the footage and their reaction was very positive
 * Final assembly of shows is done at Skywalker Ranch

In February of 2007, Anthony Daniels revealed on his website that the eleventh episode will be titled "Destroy Malevolence." However, the information was removed shortly thereafter.

At George Lucas' March 3 appearance at the 2007 William S. Paley Television Festival, Lucas revealed that the series is episodic, so it won't focus on the Skywalker story. Specifics mentioned were that there are "episodes with nothing but Clone Troopers" and an "episode just about Kit Fisto". He also revealed that there is still no television network set for the series

On the red carpet at the same event, Lucas revealed further information in a fan interview ; There will be a new Togruta Padawan character named Asoka. According to Lucas "There’s a new character called Asoka, who’s a young girl, padawan learner. It’s her first assignment, she’s very young…She’s a little Shaak Ti." He also stated that there will be over 100 episodes, and an appearance by Boba Fett is possible

At Toy Fair 2007, fans were given their first look at the series' 3D animated Yoda.

Music
According to musician Eric Rigler, he has been brought in to record bulgarian-like music for the series. This includes a musical theme for each planet. However, no official statement has been made on Rigler's involvement with the music. So far, the only official word on the music for the series comes from Steve Sansweet: "Of course we used John Williams music in The Clone Wars, the cartoons on Cartoon Network. I don't know if any specific decision on that has been made.

Release
Originally rumored to be released sometime in 2006, the as-yet-unreleased 3-D series, along with the Star Wars Live-Action TV series, will keep Star Wars prominent in popular culture, as well as provide fans with a determinedly canonical output (a form of fanservice). The Clone Wars 3D Animated Series will be released in Fall 2007 and the Live Action TV Series will be released around 2009. At April 2005's Celebration III, Lucas stated that, "you know we are working on a 3-D continuation of the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network, we probably won't start that project for another year." It is known that the 3-D animated shows will be released before the Live-Action series, which would air later due to marketing purposes. Whether or not the show is to be produced by 2-D series creator, Gendy Tartakovsky, Nelvana Ltd (producer of Droids and Ewoks), or another animation company is yet to be revealed.

Video game
LucasArts announced they are working on a handheld video games based on the series. The system(s) it will appear on is unknown at this point.

Notes and references

 * Star Wars Insider 93