Star Wars: The Clone Wars to debut as new animation feature and TV series

USA: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, created by George Lucas, is set to premiere as a new animation feature film in August 2008 and a television series to debut this fall in a partnership between Lucasfilm Ltd., Warner Bros. Pictures and Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

Produced by Lucasfilm Animation, Star Wars: The Clone Wars will open in North America on August 15, with international release dates to be announced. The theatrical debut of the movie is the beginning of the Star Wars story that will continue in the fall when the TV series premieres on Turner’s Cartoon Network, followed by broadcast on TNT. Details of international broadcasts will be announced shortly.

Showcasing a new look and feel, Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series combines the scope of the Star Wars saga with new computer-generated animation in 30-minute ‘mini-movies’. Characters featured include Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, and new character, Anakin’s padawan learner, Ahsoka, as well as villains led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous.

Lucasfilm Animation, based in Marin County, California, with a studio in Singapore, has produced more than 30 new episodes of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, and production is underway for more installments.

Currently available is the first in a series of web-only documentaries that chronicle the development of Star Wars: The Clone Wars at www.starwars.com