Star Wars: Clone Wars

All you Star Wars fans take note: The Cartoon Network is airing an animated series, Star Wars: Clone Wars, which bridges the gap between Episodes II and III. And the best part, IMO, is that Genndy Tartakovsy, the creator of Samurai Jack (my favorite cartoon), is in charge of this series.

The first of 20 animated Star Wars: Clone Wars episodes, each about three minutes long, premieres at 8 ET/PT. A new episode of the Lucas-approved series airs each weeknight through Nov. 20, repeating at midnight. Another 10 will air next spring.

Although the Star Wars empire has spread into comic books, novels and video games, Clone Wars marks the first animated series to involve any of the saga’s leading characters. Lucas has finished initial filming on the final Star Wars movie, the untitled Episode III, due in theaters in 2005. The Clone Wars cartoon series bridges the time gap between Episodes II and III, and picks up after the first battle of the wars, where Episode II: Attack of the Clones left off.

Lucas chose Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky to be the force behind the series. “(Lucas) said to stay between (Episodes) II and III and stay away from the love story, and that was it, to just focus on the wars,” says Tartakovsky, whose other credits include creating Dexter’s Laboratory and directing The Powerpuff Girls.

Initially, the Moscow-born animator, 31, was offered just one-minute segments, but he convinced Lucasfilm that more time was needed. After editing some Samurai Jack episodes into short nuggets, “I realized you could really do something (in three minutes),” Tartakovsky says.

Set those DVRs/VCRs.

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