Raed on for all the relevant news because here at Fantha Tracks we’re jumping up and down, doing the conga and having a party.
Just announced by Dave Filoni at San Diego Comic-Con during a 10th anniversary celebration of the beloved animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars will be returning with 12 all-new episodes on Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming service. Created by George Lucas, the show first aired in 2008 and became an entry point into Star Wars for an entire generation, following fan-favorites like Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padmé Amidala, while introducing major new characters like Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex. Its stories were complex, its heroes and villains were perfectly imperfect, and its look was captivatingly beautiful. It became a multi-Emmy winner and is now regarded as essential Star Wars.
But it was never finished. The Clone Wars ended after five broadcast seasons — just as Ahsoka left the Jedi Order. A few post-Season Five episodes were later released as “The Lost Missions,” but the story wasn’t over. Fans have clamored for Disney and Lucasfilm to finish what was started ever since. And now it’s actually happening.
And StarWars.com spoke with Dave Filoni about this most welcome return from the netherworlds of the Force.
StarWars.com: What do you think it is, 10 years later now, that made this show resonate so much with people, and made it stick with them, and gave it the strength to come back?
Dave Filoni: I think the variety of stories was a big part of it. You also can’t underestimate how important it was that so many people grew up with the show. Clone Wars was a piece of Star Wars that older fans might have, initially, not taken seriously because it was animated, but that wasn’t a barrier for kids. They loved the clones and identified with them. Ahsoka gave kids a character that was like them — someone their age that was experiencing life’s challenges and learning along the way. Plus, having a new episode each week really allowed us to explore what was going on with the new and legacy characters in a dynamic way, including Anakin and Obi-Wan. I think the stories left an indelible impression and, of course, George knew it would. He always knew.
