Clone Wars is Saved!, New Series in 2019!

The Clone Wars were the mysterious mention by Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977).  We finally got to see the beginning of the war in Attack of the Clones (2002) and the end of the war in Revenge of the Sith (2005). There were a series of animated shorts by Genndy Tartakovsky which aired on the Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005.  It introduced us to the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi played by James Arnold Taylor.  They were rendered Legends, but I see it as still compatible with the canon.  Lucasfilm Animation was formed and produced the animated film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, to theaters in 2008.  This was made up of episodes intended to introduce the animated series.  It introduced us to Anakin Skyywalker, played by Matt Lanter, and his apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, voiced by Ashley Eckstein.  Dee Bradley Baker provided the voices for the clone troopers including Captain Rex. Star Wars: The Clone Wars also aired on the Cartoon Network.  

The show was innovative in providing the events of the middle of the Clone Wars.  We got to understand the tactics and the people involved in the war.  Dave Filoni was the director of the Clone Wars film and supervising director for the Clone Wars series.  He was also the voice of the bounty hunter Embo and provided many other voices for the show.  The program won several daytime Emmy awards for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program which was presented by Carrie Fisher in 2013 and also Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for David Tennant as the droid Huyang.  On December 2012, Disney acquired Lucasfilm, and The Clone Wars was cancelled mid-way through the sixth season.  Thirteen of the episodes were released as “The Lost Missions” on Netflix in 2014.  Production shifted to a new show, Star Wars: Rebels, set in the time of the Original Trilogy.  It aired on Disney XD from 2014 to it’s final episode on March 5, 2018. The series was scored by Clone Wars composer Kevin Keiner.  

At the finale of season one, Ahsoka Tano was revealed to be working for the Rebellion!  This all brings us to the announcement yesterday at the San Diego Comic Con by Dave Filoni.  On the tenth anniversary of Clone Wars, Filoni attended the panel with producer Athena Portillo, composer Kevin Keiner, Ashley Eckstein, and Matt Lanter. Filoni told the crowd that Clone Wars is returning on the Disney SVOD streaming service which will launch in 2019.  There is 12 episodes for the new season.  The trailer for Clone Wars was shown.  It features narration by Captain Rex getting his troops in line while we see rows of helmets.  We hear troopers Fives, Heavy, and Echo, and Commander Cody.  While the camera pulls back we see artillery being fired in the background. A Republic gunship flies towards a base in sunset, a beautiful shot, Anakin is there with two troopers as they see the Senator-class Star Destroyers in a scene reflecting the end of Attack of the Clones. Anakin and Obi-Wan enter a control room as Captain Rex watches a hologram of Ahsoka Tano and a Mandalorian.  The Siege of Mandalore was where Ahsoka disappeared covered in the Ahsoka (2016) novel by E.K. Johnston. There is a new hope for Star Warriors!  

#CloneWarsSaved, #DaveFiloni, #MattLanter, #AshleyEckstein