STAR WARS REBELS Will Launch As TV Movie In Summer 2014

Star Wars Episode VII might not come out until Winter 2015, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to wait much longer to see Star Wars content onscreen. Jedi News has acquired a hard copy of a Disney shareholder letter that was sent this week that reveals the launch date of the upcoming animated series Star Wars Rebels, as well as how they’ll introduce the show.

While the world eagerly awaits Episode VII to open in theaters, we’re introducing Star Wars Rebels to television audiences this summer with a movie and a series of shorts on Disney Channel, followed by a continuing series on Disney XD.

This news followed after a slew of promotional posters were released featuring Imperial propaganda. Just like the Empire to try to convince you that you’ll serve a greater purpose by joining the Imperial army. What they don’t tell you is no matter how much training you go through, your aim is still going to suck and you’ll end up being killed by a considerably less skilled Rebel. That’s just how it works out.

The series will take place between Episode III and IV where “the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape.” Plot details have been kept a secret and only two characters have been revealed: the Inquisitor, the latest villain to wield the red lightsaber, and Chopper, a grumpy astromech droid.

Launching as a TV movie is a similar approach to what Lucasfilm did with The Clone Wars, except they went a step further and released the “pilot” in theaters, although the movie’s reviews suggest it probably should have aired on TV as well. I have to say though, it’s going to suck if there’s a kid out there who watches the TV movie on Disney Channel and gets excited for the show, but their whole world comes crashing down when they find out their family’s cable plan doesn’t include Disney XD.

Disney, do the next generation of Star Wars fans a favor: make sure the show is easily accessible on one of your websites. If the show is as good as you say it is, it’s important that they exposed to it first rather than the preq…you know what, I’ve been on this tangent before, no need to go down that road again.

SOURCE: SuperHeroHype