Still from “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” with members of Bad Batch.
Disney
A new Star Wars movie isn’t slated to hit theaters until 2022, but Disney isn’t expecting to bring fans new content from a galaxy far, far away.
On Monday, Disney + announced that it had ordered a new Lucasfilm animated series called “Star Wars: The Bad Batch.” The show will feature characters from a group of clone troopers known as Clone Force 99, or Bad Batch, from the acclaimed animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”.
Bad Batch is a collection of unique clones that have a genetic variation that sets them apart from the rest of their clone brothers who are part of the Clone Army. They are a formidable team and a favorite squad of fans of the series.
The new show will follow these soldiers after the Clone Wars are over and they are forced to take on mercenary missions and find a new purpose. “The Bad Batch” will be produced by Dave Filoni, the mastermind behind “Clone Wars”, “Rebels” and one of half the leading creative team behind “The Mandalorian”.
“While ‘The Clone Wars’ may have come to a conclusion, our partnership with innovative Lucasfilm Animation storytellers and artists is just beginning,” Agnes Chu, senior vice president of content for Disney +, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to make Dave Filoni’s vision come true through upcoming Bad Batch adventures.”
The show will premiere on Disney + in 2021.
Star Wars recently wrapped up the nine-film Skywalker saga in December and the final season of “The Clone Wars,” which bridged the gap between the prequel movies “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith.” In addition to a new trilogy to be released starting in 2022, Disney will release the second season of “The Mandalorian” later this year on its streaming service.
Star Wars continues to be a financially impressive franchise for Disney from a content and marketing standpoint. After acclaim and support from fans of the final season of “The Clone Wars”, it’s no surprise that the company gives the green light to another series under Filoni’s careful watch.
Animation is also one of the few types of film and television production that can resume during the coronavirus pandemic, and could fill some of the content holes that Disney + might face if other productions can’t be completed.
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