Will 'Star Wars Rebels' Answer our Clone Wars Questions?

LucasFilm, via StarWars.com, announced the new "Star Wars Rebels" dark times animated series set between Episode III and Episode IV that will premiere in the fall of 2014.

From a certain point of view, this explains why Star Wars Detours which was set in the same time period was shelved, and why LucasFilm recently sent out form letters to Clone Wars fans that had written in to them.

Will this new series answer the questions we have about the ultimate fate of Ahsoka, Darth Maul, Asajj Ventress, Cad Bane, Hondo Ohnaka and other loose ends from Star Wars: The Clone Wars?

Casting has not been announced yet, but we hope to hear more of James Arnold Taylor, Ashley Ecstein, Matt Lanter, Tom Kane, Dee Bradley Baker, Sam Witmer, Stephen Stanton, Anthony Daniels, and the rest of the talented cast of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The action-filled series is set between the events of Episode III and IV -- an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. Star Wars Rebels takes 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. Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point

Leading the development of the series is a creative team of exceptional talent. Screenwriter/producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is an executive producer on Star Wars Rebels and will write the premiere episode. He is joined by Dave Filoni as executive producer, who served as supervising director of the Emmy nominated Star Wars: The Clone Wars since 2008. Executive producer Greg Weisman brings with him a wealth of animation experience with credits such as Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man and Gargoyles.

"I couldn't be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm. “I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars."  Source: NEW ANIMATED SERIES STAR WARS REBELS COMING FALL 2014

Also StarWars.com has released a video featuring Dave Filoni  Joel Aron, and Pablo Hidalgo share some early information about the new series.

The new series already has a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/starwarsrebels and at time of reporting has 907 likes.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Up for Voting at SMGO.tv

Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been moved to the voting phase at SMGO.tv.  SMGO.tv is a crowd sourcing website where fans can interact with the major studios and try to save their favorite shows.

It's time for The Clone Wars community to mobilize and get 10,000 votes at SMGO.  Once the goal is reached, SMGO will take our requests to Disney/LucasFilm and present Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a viable crowdfunding opportunity, and if they are granted permission, they will move The Clone Wars to the funding phase.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Not Affected by EA Deal

Massively.joystiq.com is reporting that the recent Disney/EA video game deal will not affect Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventure, at least for the duration of their agreement.

"Specifically, we asked if Clone Wars Adventures would be forced to shut down when the current license expires... As for CWA, the studio replied "Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures is fully armed and operational, and this week's announcement does not affect our current agreement with Lucasfilm." Source: Clone Wars Adventures not (immediately) affected by EA/Disney deal

Dave Filoni Teases Bonus Content Story Arc Featuring Plo Koon

USA Today posted an interview today with Star Wars: The Clone Wars supervising director Dave Filoni. Filoni doesn't give away any new information regarding the amount of story arcs features in the "bonus content" or when or how it will be released.

Filoni teases a story arc which appears to about Plo Koon discovering what happened to Master Syfo-Dias.  In Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Obi-wan learns that ten years prior to the events of the film Master Syfo-Dias appears to have ordered the clone army from the Kaminoans for the republic.  Obi-wan was under the impression that Syfo-Dias had died around that time.

Read the full article 'Clone Wars' still has life in the 'Star Wars' universe at USA Today.  We have included a few excerpts below.

"There are questions that are pretty big as far as it comes with the Clone Wars and things that people have wanted to know," Filoni says. "They're just these concepts just hanging out there, and finally we're going to deal with them."

One of the arcs stars Jedi Master Plo Koon (voiced by James Arnold Taylor), who finds a lost lightsaber while on a mission on a sandstorm-laden planet with a platoon of clone troopers. It's the beginning of a mystery, and one that will make the Jedi question their role in the Clone Wars and the universe itself, according to Filoni.

"The Jedi have been fighting a war with an army that was commissioned by one of their own, Jedi Master Syfo-Dias," he says. "But who was Syfo-Dias, and what happened to him? The dark lord of the Sith has woven an intricate web to ensnare the Jedi, but it is not full-proof and sometimes a small clue, and a bit of chance, can lead to the unraveling of the best-laid plans." Source: USA Today

Since the USA Today video begins playing an ad immediately, we have embedded the Pol Koon centric video clip after the break.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars DVD/Blu-ray Buying Campaign on May the 4th

A few days ago, Jawa James at Club Jade made a few suggestions of things we could do in our attempt to #SaveTheCloneWars.  One of the suggestions was organizing a Star Wars: The Clone Wars DVD/Blu-ray buying campaign.

May the 4th has become a Star Wars holiday, so what better day to organize a campaign to purchase copies of this wonderful series.  A link to Star Wars: The Clone Wars at Amazon is listed here.

Let's face it, corporations are all about the money.  This will be giving money to, Disney's competitor Warner Bros.  If there is a large surge in DVD/Blu-ray sales, this will show Disney that their is a demand for the series, and that they could be making this money if they release future Star Wars: The Clone Wars themselves.  May the force be with us.

RebelForce Radio Reporting More Layoffs at LucasFilm

RebelForce Radio host, Jimmy McInerney, posted on the podcast's official FaceBook this afternoon that more layoffs occurred today at LucasFilm licensing, marketing, and publishing.

"As Disney continues to cut jobs across the board, RFR is hearing about more layoffs today - This time at Lucasfilm. People have been axed in licensing, marketing, and publishing." Source: RebelForce Radio

Weekly #SaveTheCloneWars Twitter Protests

#SaveTheCloneWars

Several people have been asking about organizing another #SaveTheCloneWars twitter protest. The first one organized by Star Wars Underworld had a good turn out on Saturday at 12:30 pm EST (9:30 am PST).

A few days ago, we had a good response on Facebook to the suggestion of a weekly protest on Saturdays at the same time, 12:30 pm EST/9:30 am PST. So, we are moving forward with this plan and ask you to spread the word!

The #SaveTheCloneWars twitter protest is aimed at getting the attention of Disney and LucasFilm, and if possible to get #SaveTheCloneWars to trend on twitter.  Hopefully, the protest will also raise awareness of other Star Wars that may be unaware of the cancellation of The Clone Wars or perhaps unmotivated to raise their voices about the series that millions of fans have watched for the past five seasons.

Kyle Newman

Need some extra motivation to get involved withe campaign.  There is a great interview with Kyle Newman, director of Fan Boys, on the latest Out of the Blue podcast, at GeekNation.com.  Newman had some very passionate words to Star War fans and how they need to express to Disney how they feel about the show they loved getting cancelled.

"Star Wars fans are drunk at the wheel.... They're not even paying attention to the fact that Disney just said 'George Lucas' Star Wars for the last 10 years, we just axed it for fun.'  Wake up, and go write a letter and go tweet them @Disney and tell them!  You're probably not gonna get the show back, you may, but they're not gonna put the show back on the air. They can give it an ending... 

...You need to tell Disney that they're not just gonna have their way with something that you've kept alive for 35 years! That's the symbolic thing. That's all I'm saying so if you're out there listening, wake up!  Stop worrying about your color forms and worry about that they just took George Lucas' story off the air.  Wake up and go write a letter!"   

Check out the full interview at  Out of the Blue: Ep. 7: Kyle Newman.

Send your letters to Disney and LucasFilm.

Walt Disney Studios
500 S Buena Vista St
Burbank, CA 91521
Attn: Bob Iger

LucasFilm
P.O. Box 29901
San Francisco, CA 94129-0901
Attn: Kathleen Kennedy

Tweet to @Disney, @StarWars, @TheCloneWars and use the hashtag #SaveTheCloneWars!

Save The Clone Wars info@savetheclonewars.com We appreciate Disney and LucasFilm and are looking forward to the sequel trilogy; however, we love The Clone Wars!  We want more than bonus content! We want the many stories that the creators have set out to tell to be completed. We ask that the powers that be to please reconsider this decision. Connect with Save The Clone Wars: