'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' 10th Anniversary Panel Coming to SDCC

Following the mixed reception to the live-action prequel films, Star Wars: The Clone Wars helped usher in a new age of Star Wars storytelling, thanks in large part to the creative leadership of producer Dave Filoni. The series debuted 10 years ago with an animated film, ultimately leading to six seasons of the series. To celebrate the show, many of the cast and crew are convening for a special panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

"In the summer of 2008, Star Wars: The Clone Wars made its debut, following young Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and her master Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars — along with clones, Sith, senators, Jedi, and more heroes and villains of a galaxy far, far away," Lucasfilm's announcement read. "The show was created and executive produced by George Lucas and shepherded by Filoni, further exploring the characters of the films, while introducing some major new ones. Running for six seasons, Star Wars: The Clone Wars became an Emmy winner and a generation's entry point into the saga, and changed Star Wars forever."

Attempting to clarify the history of Star Wars grew difficult in the '90s, as a variety of novels and comic books added mythology using fresh and familiar characters alike. Finding an entry point could be difficult, while the prequel trilogy brought the focus back to the origins of established characters.

Taking place between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars found the perfect balance between using familiar characters and settings to expand the saga into completely new areas. The familiar characters made the narrative more accessible while new characters helped demonstrate the diversity in a galaxy far, far away.

When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, the official canon was modified to include only the six live-action films and this TV series, thanks to the attention to detail of Lucasfilm execs who helped craft new storylines.

Sadly, the show was canceled without being able to wrap up many of its storylines, leaving fans with questions they would never get answered.

In 2014, Filoni returned to the world of Star Wars animation with Star Wars Rebels, which took a similar strategy of telling a story with a familiar backdrop which followed new characters. Filoni even managed to incorporate characters from The Clone Wars to help wrap up some of their unexplored journeys.

The next animated Star Wars series, Star Wars Resistance, will debut on Disney XD this fall and takes place after the events of Return of the Jedi and before The Force Awakens.

San Diego Comic-Con kicks off on July 19th.

Do you wish you could be in attendance for this panel? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

[H/T StarWars.com]