The Force Is with Cartoon Network
08-02-03, 01:06 AM
#1
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
The Force Is with Cartoon Network
By Josh Grossberg
Obi-Wan is 'tooning up for some small-screen Jedi hijinks.
Star Wars: Clone Wars, a series of animated shorts featuring the epic battles often mentioned but never seen in the Star Wars films, is being prepped for its fall premiere on the Cartoon Network.
The first installment in the series, a collaboration between the AOL Time Warner-owned cable net and Lucasfilm, was previewed earlier this month at the Television Critics Association meeting, and buzz is building online for the 'toons, which are being helmed by Genndy Tartakovsky of Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory fame.
Each Clone Wars adventure will run two-to-three minutes and focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and their cohorts as they lead the Galactic Republic against evil armies of cloned troopers created by the Separatists. Put together, the strip tells one continuous story and includes tangents into minor characters' stories as well.
"It's beautiful-looking and there will be plenty of action," says Cartoon Network spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg.
The three-minute clip shown to the press was a rough cut, with a temporary soundtrack and some unfinished effects. The story featured Chancellor Palpatine putting Anakin in charge of a clone regiment over the protests of Yoda and Obi-Wan.
Tartakovsky, who like George Lucas was inspired by the epic films of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, says the series is "going to be very high quality."
"It'll be like little mini-features, because everything is really hand-crafted and we're really taking our time with everything because we respect Star Wars so much," he said in an interview earlier this year on starwars.com.
Clone Wars is expected to debut November 9 and each episode will arrive at regularly scheduled intervals.
"It's going to air from 8 p.m. to 8:03 p.m. and probably rerun at 10 o'clock or midnight...[But] it's going to be at the same time every night so people will know when to look for it," explains Goldberg. "This is a great way to test something and see how people will respond to it."
She says network programmers are discussing various options for how to roll out the 'toons, but the likeliest scenario will see the cable channel present the first 10 episodes in the fall and another 10 in the spring.
The Cartoon Network is also talking with Lucasfilm about extending their partnership to include the possibility of creating a stand-alone Star Wars animated series.
Unlike the much-ballyhooed Animatrix animated shorts, which included key plot points referenced in The Matrix Reloaded, Clone Wars' story line will not necessarily set up Episode III, according to the cable network.
But when pressed for specifics, the Stars Wars camp was predictably mum. "Your guess is as good as mine," says Lucasfilm's Jeannie Cole.
Joshua Griffin of TheForce.net, one of the Internet's biggest Star Wars fan sites, tells E! Online that as far as he and his crew know, the animated series "will be showing the majority of the Clone Wars, and Episode III begins with the finale of that conflict and Palpatine's rise to power."
So far, the only real complaints from the oft-skeptical Star Wars set is that the 'toons aren't long enough.
"While it would have been great to see more of the Clone Wars on the big screen and less of Jar Jar," says TheForce.net's Scott Chitwood, "fans have been waiting for another Star Wars animated series for a long time [after Droids and Ewoks series in the mid-'80s], so there's a lot of enthusiasm around this project. They have a great team working on it and everything they've shown so far looks fantastic."
The still untitled third and final prequel in Lucas' epic space saga is now in production at Fox Studios in Australia and is expected to hit theaters in 2005.
Obi-Wan is 'tooning up for some small-screen Jedi hijinks.
Star Wars: Clone Wars, a series of animated shorts featuring the epic battles often mentioned but never seen in the Star Wars films, is being prepped for its fall premiere on the Cartoon Network.
The first installment in the series, a collaboration between the AOL Time Warner-owned cable net and Lucasfilm, was previewed earlier this month at the Television Critics Association meeting, and buzz is building online for the 'toons, which are being helmed by Genndy Tartakovsky of Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory fame.
Each Clone Wars adventure will run two-to-three minutes and focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and their cohorts as they lead the Galactic Republic against evil armies of cloned troopers created by the Separatists. Put together, the strip tells one continuous story and includes tangents into minor characters' stories as well.
"It's beautiful-looking and there will be plenty of action," says Cartoon Network spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg.
The three-minute clip shown to the press was a rough cut, with a temporary soundtrack and some unfinished effects. The story featured Chancellor Palpatine putting Anakin in charge of a clone regiment over the protests of Yoda and Obi-Wan.
Tartakovsky, who like George Lucas was inspired by the epic films of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, says the series is "going to be very high quality."
"It'll be like little mini-features, because everything is really hand-crafted and we're really taking our time with everything because we respect Star Wars so much," he said in an interview earlier this year on starwars.com.
Clone Wars is expected to debut November 9 and each episode will arrive at regularly scheduled intervals.
"It's going to air from 8 p.m. to 8:03 p.m. and probably rerun at 10 o'clock or midnight...[But] it's going to be at the same time every night so people will know when to look for it," explains Goldberg. "This is a great way to test something and see how people will respond to it."
She says network programmers are discussing various options for how to roll out the 'toons, but the likeliest scenario will see the cable channel present the first 10 episodes in the fall and another 10 in the spring.
The Cartoon Network is also talking with Lucasfilm about extending their partnership to include the possibility of creating a stand-alone Star Wars animated series.
Unlike the much-ballyhooed Animatrix animated shorts, which included key plot points referenced in The Matrix Reloaded, Clone Wars' story line will not necessarily set up Episode III, according to the cable network.
But when pressed for specifics, the Stars Wars camp was predictably mum. "Your guess is as good as mine," says Lucasfilm's Jeannie Cole.
Joshua Griffin of TheForce.net, one of the Internet's biggest Star Wars fan sites, tells E! Online that as far as he and his crew know, the animated series "will be showing the majority of the Clone Wars, and Episode III begins with the finale of that conflict and Palpatine's rise to power."
So far, the only real complaints from the oft-skeptical Star Wars set is that the 'toons aren't long enough.
"While it would have been great to see more of the Clone Wars on the big screen and less of Jar Jar," says TheForce.net's Scott Chitwood, "fans have been waiting for another Star Wars animated series for a long time [after Droids and Ewoks series in the mid-'80s], so there's a lot of enthusiasm around this project. They have a great team working on it and everything they've shown so far looks fantastic."
The still untitled third and final prequel in Lucas' epic space saga is now in production at Fox Studios in Australia and is expected to hit theaters in 2005.
08-02-03, 02:23 AM
#2
DVD Talk God
ok, this is dumb. originally this was going to be a series. then they made it into a 'mini-series'. now it's a collection of shorts. no thanks, i'll pass.
08-02-03, 02:46 AM
#3
DVD Talk Godfather
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: City of the lakers.. riots.. and drug dealing cops.. los(t) Angel(e)s. ca.
Posts: 54,199
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
You know the sad part.. when we first heard rumors of the prequels, we were told/under the impresison that it would cover the clone wars that Obi talked about in ANH.. we got all hyped up to see how the jedi battles would be and how kick ass it would all look..
then we got the prequels.
Not only that, but they are going to jump over the most important part that we have been looking for.. the entire clone war really. we get to see how it starts and how it pretty much ends with the victory of the empire. what a total let down. Now we have to settle with these "shorts" to cover that time? 
then we got the prequels.
Not only that, but they are going to jump over the most important part that we have been looking for.. the entire clone war really. we get to see how it starts and how it pretty much ends with the victory of the empire. what a total let down. Now we have to settle with these "shorts" to cover that time?
08-02-03, 04:27 AM
#4
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: La Crescenta, CA
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That rough cut was amazing, it got such a good response at Comic Con, they played it twice. This is with NO sound effects. It was really really f'ing good.
08-02-03, 06:48 AM
#5
Moderator
Each Clone Wars adventure will run two-to-three minutes and focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and their cohorts as they lead the Galactic Republic against evil armies of cloned troopers created by the Separatists. Put together, the strip tells one continuous story and includes tangents into minor characters' stories as well.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
08-02-03, 10:24 AM
#6
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Originally posted by nemein
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
Anyway, I'm pretty excited that Genndy Tartakovsky is in charge, and think this will be pretty cool, but maybe only when we can have them all to watch at once.
08-02-03, 02:21 PM
#7
DVD Talk Godfather
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: City of the lakers.. riots.. and drug dealing cops.. los(t) Angel(e)s. ca.
Posts: 54,199
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Originally posted by nemein
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
So the Jedi should be fighting the driod troopers WITH the clones on their side.
08-02-03, 05:38 PM
#8
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Taxachusetts
Posts: 2,316
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Jackskeleton
You know the sad part.. when we first heard rumors of the prequels, we were told/under the impresison that it would cover the clone wars that Obi talked about in ANH.. we got all hyped up to see how the jedi battles would be and how kick ass it would all look..
then we got the prequels. Not only that, but they are going to jump over the most important part that we have been looking for.. the entire clone war really. we get to see how it starts and how it pretty much ends with the victory of the empire. what a total let down. Now we have to settle with these "shorts" to cover that time?
You know the sad part.. when we first heard rumors of the prequels, we were told/under the impresison that it would cover the clone wars that Obi talked about in ANH.. we got all hyped up to see how the jedi battles would be and how kick ass it would all look..
then we got the prequels.
Not only that, but they are going to jump over the most important part that we have been looking for.. the entire clone war really. we get to see how it starts and how it pretty much ends with the victory of the empire. what a total let down. Now we have to settle with these "shorts" to cover that time?
08-02-03, 06:36 PM
#9
Banned
If Genndy Tartakovsky has his hand in this, then I have high hopes for it.
Samurai Jack is one of the best American produced cartoons in the past 10yrs.
Samurai Jack is one of the best American produced cartoons in the past 10yrs.
08-03-03, 03:05 AM
#12
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,404
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Deftones
ok, this is dumb. originally this was going to be a series. then they made it into a 'mini-series'. now it's a collection of shorts. no thanks, i'll pass.
ok, this is dumb. originally this was going to be a series. then they made it into a 'mini-series'. now it's a collection of shorts. no thanks, i'll pass.
08-03-03, 10:36 AM
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by nny
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is how it was always going to be.
I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is how it was always going to be.
08-04-03, 11:17 AM
#15
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Deftones
ok, this is dumb. originally this was going to be a series. then they made it into a 'mini-series'. now it's a collection of shorts. no thanks, i'll pass.
ok, this is dumb. originally this was going to be a series. then they made it into a 'mini-series'. now it's a collection of shorts. no thanks, i'll pass.
Originally posted by nemein
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the clones were created by the republic to fight the droids of the "separatists"....
Episode II (and the other backstory that we know) hints pretty strongly that they were ordered by Darth Sideous in an attempt to start a war and gain Executive Powers for Palpatine. But I guess we'll have to wait until Ep. III for the full story.
08-04-03, 08:12 PM
#16
DVD Talk Special Edition
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,371
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm one of those who's not crazy about the design of the whole series. I'd much rather see 5 or 6 half hour episodes using the new He-Man animation. Two to three minutes "shorts" just don't seem long enough to tell a sufficient story, unless you show like 20 or 30 of them.
08-04-03, 09:46 PM
#17
Moderator
Episode II (and the other backstory that we know) hints pretty strongly that they were ordered by Darth Sideous in an attempt to start a war and gain Executive Powers for Palpatine. But I guess we'll have to wait until Ep. III for the full story.
08-05-03, 09:37 AM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Captain Harlock
Two to three minutes "shorts" just don't seem long enough to tell a sufficient story, unless you show like 20 or 30 of them.
Two to three minutes "shorts" just don't seem long enough to tell a sufficient story, unless you show like 20 or 30 of them.
08-05-03, 10:06 AM
#19
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Eric F
If Genndy Tartakovsky has his hand in this, then I have high hopes for it.
Samurai Jack is one of the best American produced cartoons in the past 10yrs.
If Genndy Tartakovsky has his hand in this, then I have high hopes for it.
Samurai Jack is one of the best American produced cartoons in the past 10yrs.
on both points.
08-05-03, 02:06 PM
#20
DVD Talk Legend
08-07-03, 02:54 PM
#22
Moderator
I look forward to these. We'll finally get to see such pivotal moments as the fall of Anakin, birth of Luke and Leia, and of course the fate of Padme.
08-07-03, 03:30 PM
#23
DVD Talk Godfather
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: City of the lakers.. riots.. and drug dealing cops.. los(t) Angel(e)s. ca.
Posts: 54,199
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Birth? More along the lines of Conception of the two..
Oooh yeah, some Amadala/anakin action going on there. and you wonder why they are only a few minutes long.
My concern.. why does kit fisto's saber look like it works underwater?
Oooh yeah, some Amadala/anakin action going on there. and you wonder why they are only a few minutes long.
My concern.. why does kit fisto's saber look like it works underwater?
08-07-03, 03:49 PM
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Jackskeleton
My concern.. why does kit fisto's saber look like it works underwater?
My concern.. why does kit fisto's saber look like it works underwater?
08-07-03, 06:48 PM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Jackskeleton
My concern.. why does kit fisto's saber look like it works underwater?
My concern.. why does kit fisto's saber look like it works underwater?