Wait, there’s a new Star Wars television series?

Yes! It’s an animated series called Star Wars: The Clone Wars. And it starts airing October 2008

How is it connected to the movies?

It is based on events between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It will feature many of the main characters from those films, in addition to many new characters introduced for the series.

Is this the first Star Wars television series ever?

No. There were the Droids and Ewoks animated series in the ‘80s. And the 2003 Clone Wars series. And the Ewok made-for-TV movies. So, not first, but will end up being the longest running.

Does it have all the major characters from the live-action films?
Many of the prequel characters are back in this film. Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, Grievous, Yoda, Dooku, Mace Windu, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Palpatine, should feature in the series.

Are they voiced by the original actors?
Some of them may be. Matthew Wood is back as Grievous and Anthony Daniels as C-3PO. Of course, the characters still look like them, so I’m sure they’re still making money.

Is the movie made by George Lucas?
Lucas was involved in crafting the story, and oversees the creative process of the series, but he is neither directing nor writing the shows. Star Wars: The Clone Wars has Dave Filoni as its supervising director and was written by Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching and Scott Murphy, Paul Dini, Kevin Rubio and among others

Who is Dave Filoni?
Dave Filoni, the director of Star Wars: The Clone Wars film, has worked on Avatar: The Last Airbender series in the past and is the supervising director of new CGI The Clone Wars TV series.

Are there any new characters in the film?
Glad you asked. The biggest marketing push around The Clone Wars has been surrounding the new female Jedi apprentice named Ahsoka Tano, played by Ashley Drane (Eckstein). Asajj Ventress from the 2003 Clone Wars series is also in this film. Most of the other characters are from the prequels.

So who is Ahsoka Tano?

Ahsoka Tano was discovered by Master Plo Koon and was raised in the Jedi Temple. Yoda assigned her to Anakin Skywalker as his Padawan. In the film, Ahsoka accompanies Anakin on his mission.

What came first, the Clone Wars television series or this movie?
Well, which Clone Wars television series? The 2003 television series came first and in terms of release dates, the 2008 film will be released before the 2008 television series. However, the 2008 The Clone Wars television series was conceived first and the film was an afterthought. In a sense, the film is being used to launch the television series.

How long are the episodes?

They are 22 minutes each, designed to fill up a 30 minute slot (with commercials).

How many episodes are there?

The first season, starting in fall of 2008, will have 22 episodes. Lucas expects there to be about 100 episodes over four to five years.

Which channel will it be showing on?

I am not sure about international channels and dates yet (soon!), but in the U.S. it will begin airing on Cartoon Network followed by the series on TNT.

Are there Star Wars: The Clone Wars collectibles and toys?
Of course! Plenty. On the 25th of July, Toys R Us launched the brand new toy line of action figures and merchandise based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. You can see the line-up of toys here.

Are there video games based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars?
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels for the Nintendo Wii will be available on the 1st of November and other games are in the works.

I want to know everything about the series before it comes out!
That’s not really a question, but there is a way. The novelization of the film has been released, written by Karen Traviss. There is also a Visual Guide from DK publishing, a 6-issue comic mini-series, Topps trading cards and a lot of other stuff based on The Clone Wars. And of course, McDonalds Happy Meals.

I want more!

Sure you do. Here are a few more links to keep you happy:

• The Official Star Wars: The Clone Wars site
• The complete cast and crew of the series
• More info on the series from Wookieepedia
• Still not excited? Ten Reasons Why the Clone Wars TV Series is Going to Rule at io9

What is Star Wars: The Clone Wars?

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an animated film based on events of the between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It is set during the events of the clone wars between the Confederacy of Independent Systems led by Count Dooku and the Galactic Republic. The plot follows Anakin and Obi-Wan as they investigate the kidnapping of a certain famous Hutt’s son which ends up revealing a much deeper conspiracy to take down the republic.

When is it being released in my country?
It will be released in theaters in the U.S. on August 15th, 2008. It will also be released in many other countries in August. For a complete list of international release dates, check out IMDb.

What is the film rated?
The MPAA has rated this film “PG” for “sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking.”

Does it have all the major characters from the live-action films?
Many of the prequel characters are back in this film. Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, Grievous, Yoda, Dooku, Mace Windu, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Palpatine, at the very least, are in this film.

Are they voiced by the original actors?
Some of them are. Anthony Daniels is back as C-3PO, Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu and Matthew Wood as Grievous, for example. Most of the major characters, however, are not voiced by the same actors. So- no Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor or Ian McDiarmid. Of course, the characters still look like them, so I’m sure they’re still making money.

Is there a trailer?
Not one, but two! You can find both trailers at Yahoo Movies.

Is the movie made by George Lucas?
Lucas was involved in crafting the story, and oversees the creative process of the film, but he is neither the director nor the screenwriter. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is directed by Dave Filoni and was written by Henry Gilroy, Steven Melching and Scott Murphy.

Who is Dave Filoni?
Dave Filoni, the director of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, has worked on Avatar: The Last Airbender series in the past and is the supervising director of new CGI The Clone Wars TV series (more on that in a bit).

Is the music by John Williams?
It is based on his music for the Star Wars films, but no, the original music for this film is by Kevin Kiner.

Is the movie based on the Clone Wars animated series from 2003?

It is based during the same time period and some of the character designs were based on the 2003 Genndy Tartakovsky series, but this film will launch the 2008 The Clone Wars television series. Also, the animation style is different. (We also have an ultimate guide to the television series.)

How different is the animation style?

Well, it is a 3D CGI animation film, as opposed to the stylized 2D animation of the 2003 series.

Are there any new characters in the film?
Glad you asked. The biggest marketing push around The Clone Wars has been surrounding the new female Jedi apprentice named Ahsoka Tano, played by Ashley Drane (Eckstein). Asajj Ventress from the 2003 Clone Wars series is also in this film. Most of the other characters are from the prequels.

So who is Ahsoka Tano?

Ahsoka Tano was discovered by Master Plo Koon and was raised in the Jedi Temple. Yoda assigned her to Anakin Skywalker as his Padawan. In the film, Ahsoka accompanies Anakin on his mission. If you want to know more, here is a press release and here is a video about her.

Wait, you speak as though I’m supposed to know Asajj Ventress!

Well, you should see the 2003 animated series. But, to refresh your memory, Asajj is a serpentine, lethal female assassin under Dooku’s command. Not really a Sith apprentice (only two, there are), but trained in some of those nasty dark arts.

What came first, the Clone Wars television series or this movie?
Well, which Clone Wars television series? The 2003 television series came first and in terms of release dates, the 2008 film will be released before the 2008 television series. However, the 2008 The Clone Wars television series was conceived first and the film was an afterthought. In a sense, the film is being used to launch the television series.

Will it feel like a real Star Wars film?
Only time will tell. There will be small obvious differences though- the voices for major characters are similar, but not the same. And the film is being distributed by Warner Bros., so no 20th Century Fox Fanfare music and images at the beginning of the movie.

Which planets are features in the film?

Coruscant and Tatooine, of course, but also Christophsis (a remote crystalline planet) and Teth (a world controlled by Hutts). Trivia: The Empire Strikes Back is the only Star Wars film that doesn’t feature Tatooine.

So refresh my memory, who are the clones?

They are soldiers of the army of the Republic. Expendable and based on Jango Fett’s genetic template, they can be created fairly quickly by the Kaminoan cloners. They are the predecessors to the Imperial stormtroopers.

And what are the clone wars?

They are the last great conflict of the Galactic Republic, fought between the Republic and the Separatists. The Republic has Jedi Knights as generals and clones as an army. The separatists (Confederacy of Independent Systems) consist of many systems that, under the leadership of Count Dooku, wish to separate from the Republic. They have vast droid armies- expendable and easy to build in numbers, but without the intellect of the clone troopers.

Are there Star Wars: The Clone Wars collectibles and toys?
Of course! Plenty. On the 25th of July, Toys R Us launched the brand new toy line of action figures and merchandise based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. You can see the line-up of toys here.

Are there video games based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars?
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels for the Nintendo Wii will be available on the 1st of November and other games are in the works.

I want to know everything about the movie before it comes out!
That’s not really a question, but there is a way. The novelization of the film has been released, written by Karen Traviss. There is also a Visual Guide from DK publishing, a 6-issue comic mini-series, Topps trading cards and a lot of other stuff based on The Clone Wars. And of course, McDonalds Happy Meals.

I want more!

Sure you do. Here are a few more links to keep you happy:

• The Official Star Wars: The Clone Wars site
• The complete cast and crew of the film
• More info on the film from Wookieepedia
• Big list of interesting Clone Wars stuff at TheForce.net
• All The Clone Wars trailers and TV spots

Scout troopers, very lightly armored for mobility, are usually assigned to Imperial garrisons. They use speeder bikes to patrol perimeters, perform reconnaissance missions and scout enemy locations.

The standard stormtrooper suit of body armor can adapt to all but the most extreme climatic conditions, and various gear accessories and backpacks are issued to support operations in environments such as open sand or jungle. Field units may wear shoulder pauldrons as high-visibility rank indicators.

They began to appear as part of Palpatine’s personal security force after as he rose in power from Chancellor to Emperor.

Although smaller than AT-ATs at about 8.6 meters tall, they are significantly faster: on flat terrain they can move along at a 90-kilometer-an-hour clip. The two-legged walker has a small but highly maneuverable armored command pod that houses a pilot and a gunner. Each leg has a sharp claw that can slice through natural or man-made obstacles.

Scout walkers are often used to lay down a blanket of covering fire for Imperial ground troops and for defending the flanks and somewhat vulnerable underbelly of AT-ATs. Its two-man crew enters and exits through a hatch atop the armor-plated command cabin.

Its armored body can offload 40 heavily armed troopers and five speeder bikes. Their thick plating shields them from all but the heaviest of artillery fire. Their heads can rotate, providing the commanding officer, pilot and gunner a sweeping view of any battlefield from the command deck.

AT-ATs are usually among the first vehicles to enter a combat zone. Their heavy, crushing feet can cause the ground to shake before they even appear, frightening and demoralizing the enemy. They are the main weapon that General Veers employs during the Imperial assault on Hoth.

What is a MIDI you ask?

Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is an industry-standard electronic communications protocol that defines each musical note in an electronic musical instrument such as a synthesizer, precisely and concisely, allowing electronic musical instruments and computers to exchange data, or “talk”, with each other. MIDI does not transmit audio – it simply transmits digital information about a music performance.

For compact storage and optimum travel speed, droidekas retract into the shape of a wheel. Using pulsed internal micro-repulsors in sequence, they roll themselves into battle, opening at the last minute into the their combat form. In transit, the wheel configuration presents a smaller and faster target to enemy gunfire.

When a droideka is ready to begin an assault, it quickly unfolds and stands up on three legs. Its pneumatic arms flex open and its eerie head rises with its enemy-finding sensors ablaze. Made only for combat and specialized for the single purpose of destruction, the droideka has no need of hands. Instead, powerful twin blaster are built onto its arms. Unlike the lightly built battle droids, every part of the droideka is heavy alloy or armor plate, making the machine a fearsome specter that cuts down soldiers by the dozen with ease.

Really short answer: In general, I tell people to start with Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy is the best place to start. It is where I started.