List of Star Wars television series facts for kids
The Star Wars universe is huge, and it's not just about movies! There are tons of awesome TV shows too, both animated and live-action. In the 1980s, two animated series came out. Then, in the 2000s, more animated shows arrived, especially ones about the Clone Wars era, which happened before the original movies.
When Disney bought Lucasfilm, only The Clone Wars was kept as part of the main Star Wars story. After that, new animated shows like Rebels (which connects to the original movies) and Resistance (which connects to the newer movies) were made. A spin-off from The Clone Wars, called The Bad Batch, started in 2021 on Disney+. There are also animated short story collections like Visions (2021) and Star Wars: Tales (with Tales of the Jedi in 2022 and Tales of the Empire in 2024). For younger kids, Young Jedi Adventures, set in the High Republic time, started in May 2023.
The first live-action Star Wars show, The Mandalorian, came out on Disney+ in November 2019. It led to other shows in the same timeline, like The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, plus Skeleton Crew. Other live-action shows include Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Acolyte.
Contents
- Animated Adventures
- Live-Action Adventures
- Game Show Fun
- Behind the Scenes
- Abandoned Ideas
Animated Adventures
Star Wars has brought many animated stories to life, expanding the galaxy far, far away.
Droids and Ewoks (1985–1986)
In the mid-1980s, two animated series were released. Droids followed the adventures of the famous robots C-3PO and R2-D2. Its sister series, Ewoks, featured Wicket and other Ewoks from Return of the Jedi. Both shows took place before the events of the original movies. These were the first big steps to make Star Wars more than just movies.
The Clone Wars (2008–2020)
George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, started his own animation company, Lucasfilm Animation. They made their first computer-animated Star Wars series, The Clone Wars. It started with a movie in 2008. The series is set between the movies Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. It mainly follows Jedi heroes Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, plus Anakin's student, Ahsoka Tano. This show was the start of Dave Filoni's big role in Star Wars animation.
After Disney bought Star Wars, The Clone Wars was stopped in 2014 before it was finished. The last episodes were later released on Netflix. The show and its movie were made part of the official Star Wars story. The series was even brought back for a final season in 2020 on Disney+.
Rebels (2014–2018)
In 2014, Disney XD started showing Star Wars Rebels. This was the first computer-animated series made after Disney bought Lucasfilm. It tells the story of a group of rebels fighting the Empire in the years leading up to A New Hope. The show also continued some storylines from The Clone Wars. It even included a version of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a popular character from older Star Wars stories.
Resistance (2018–2020)
Star Wars Resistance began in late 2018. It had a new animation style, looking a bit like anime. The show focuses on a young pilot named Kazuda Xiono. His adventures happen before and during the events of The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, leading up to The Rise of Skywalker. Characters from the newer movies, like Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren, also appear. The second and final season came out in 2019.
The Bad Batch (2021–2024)
Set right after The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch follows a special group of clone troopers who are different from the others. They become mercenaries, working for money, as the Empire begins to take over the galaxy. The show was announced in 2020 and premiered on Disney+ in 2021. It finished its story with a third season in 2024.
Visions (2021–present)
Visions is a unique animated series. It's a collection of nine short films made by different animation studios, mostly from Japan. These stories are set in the Star Wars universe but don't have to follow the main timeline. It's a way for different creators to share their own Star Wars ideas. The first collection was released on Disney+ in 2021, and a second collection came out in 2023.
Tales (2022–present)
Tales is another animated collection of short stories. The first part, Tales of the Jedi, came out in 2022. It had six episodes, with some focusing on Ahsoka Tano's life and others on a young Count Dooku and his teacher, Qui-Gon Jinn. A second part, Tales of the Empire, was released in 2024, focusing on Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee.
Young Jedi Adventures (2023–present)
Young Jedi Adventures is an animated series made for younger audiences and their families. It's set during the High Republic era, a time long before the movies. The show follows a group of young Jedi students as they learn about the Force and how to become Jedi Knights. It teaches lessons about kindness, self-control, and teamwork. The series premiered on Disney+ and Disney Junior in May 2023.
Short Adventures
Beyond the main series, Star Wars has also created several animated micro-series and shorts.
Clone Wars (2003–2005)
Before the big Clone Wars series, Cartoon Network aired a micro-series called Clone Wars. It was drawn by Genndy Tartakovsky. This short series showed events between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, leading directly into the third prequel movie. It even won awards for best animated program!
Blips (2017)
Star Wars Blips is a short animated series that helped promote the movie The Last Jedi. It features fun adventures with droids like BB-8 and R2-D2, along with the cute porgs.
Forces of Destiny (2017–2018)
Forces of Destiny is an animated micro-series that started in 2017. It focuses on the strong female characters from the Star Wars universe and tells short stories set in different time periods.
Galaxy of Adventures (2018–2020)
Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures debuted on the "Star Wars Kids" YouTube channel. These shorts use a cool, stylized animation to show famous scenes from the Star Wars movies. They use sounds from the original films and are great for quick peeks into the saga.
Roll Out (2019–2020)
Star Wars Roll Out also appeared on the Star Wars Kids YouTube channel. These shorts show main Star Wars characters as cute, ball-shaped figures, like BB-8. It's a fun, kid-friendly style of animation.
Galaxy of Creatures (2021–2023)
Star Wars Galaxy of Creatures started on the Star Wars Kids YouTube channel. In these shorts, a droid named SF-R3 (or "Aree") travels the galaxy to learn about all sorts of amazing alien creatures and wildlife.
Galactic Pals (2022)
Star Wars Galactic Pals is another animated micro-series. It's a spin-off from Galaxy of Creatures. This show follows a droid named M1-RE ("Miree") as she takes care of and studies different baby alien creatures on a special space station.
"Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies" (2022)
"Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies" is a special hand-drawn animated short film. It was made by Studio Ghibli, famous for movies like My Neighbor Totoro. This short features Grogu (from The Mandalorian) and the "dust bunnies" from My Neighbor Totoro. It was released on Disney+ in 2022.
Live-Action Adventures
All the live-action Star Wars series are released on Disney+, bringing the galaxy to life in a whole new way.
The Mandalorian (2019–present)
Jon Favreau created and produced The Mandalorian for Disney+. This series follows a lone bounty hunter in the far reaches of the galaxy, a few years after Return of the Jedi. It shows a part of the Star Wars universe that's far from the main government. Pedro Pascal stars as the main character. The show premiered when Disney+ launched in 2019. It has had three seasons, and a fourth is being planned.
The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)
The Book of Boba Fett is a spin-off series from The Mandalorian. It focuses on the famous bounty hunter Boba Fett. The show reveals what happened to him after Return of the Jedi. Temuera Morrison plays Boba Fett, and Ming-Na Wen plays Fennec Shand. It premiered in late 2021 and had seven episodes.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a limited series that brings back Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi. The story takes place ten years after Revenge of the Sith, showing Obi-Wan during his time in hiding before A New Hope. Hayden Christensen also returned as Darth Vader. The series premiered in May 2022 and had six episodes.
Andor (2022–present)
Andor is a spy thriller series that follows rebel spy Cassian Andor. It's set five years before the movie Rogue One, showing how the Rebellion began. Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor. The first season premiered in September 2022 with 12 episodes. A second and final season is expected in 2025.
Ahsoka (2023–present)
Ahsoka is a series that connects to The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. It stars Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, a character first introduced in The Clone Wars. The show also features other characters from Rebels, like Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla. It premiered in August 2023 and had eight episodes. A second season is being planned.
The Acolyte (2024)
The Acolyte is a mystery thriller series set about 100 years before The Phantom Menace, during the late High Republic era. This time period is not well known, so it explores new parts of the Star Wars universe. The series will premiere on Disney+ in June 2024 and will have eight episodes.
Skeleton Crew (2024)
Skeleton Crew is an upcoming series that will star Jude Law. It's set after Return of the Jedi and is described as a "galactic version of classic 1980s coming-of-age adventure films." It will follow a group of kids who get lost in the galaxy. The series is expected to be released in 2024.
Game Show Fun
Jedi Temple Challenge (2020)
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge is a web-based game show for kids. It debuted on the Star Wars Kids website and YouTube channel in 2020. Young contestants compete as Jedi Padawans, going through obstacle courses and knowledge tests to try and earn the rank of Jedi Knight. The show is hosted by Ahmed Best, who plays Jedi Master Kelleran Beq.
Behind the Scenes
These documentaries give fans a peek into how the Star Wars shows are made.
Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian (2020–present)
This documentary series shows how The Mandalorian was made. It debuted on Disney+ in 2020, giving fans a look at the filming, special effects, and stories behind the show.
Vehicle Flythroughs (2021)
Vehicle Flythroughs is a series of short tours through famous Star Wars vehicles. One episode explores the Millennium Falcon, and another shows a First Order Star Destroyer. It was released on Disney+ in 2021.
Biomes (2021)
Biomes is a short film that shows different environments and planets from the Star Wars universe. It debuted on Disney+ in 2021.
Galaxy of Sounds (2021)
Galaxy of Sounds is a series of seven short videos that focus on the amazing sound effects from various Star Wars films. They group sounds into different themes.
Disney Gallery: The Book of Boba Fett (2022)
Similar to The Mandalorian documentary, this special episode shows how The Book of Boba Fett was made. It debuted on Disney+ in 2022.
Abandoned Ideas
Not every Star Wars show idea makes it to the screen. Here are a couple that were planned but never released.
Underworld
Years ago, there were plans for a live-action TV series called Star Wars: Underworld. It was going to be set between the prequel and original trilogies. Creator George Lucas described it as a "soap opera" with lots of personal dramas, focusing on criminals and political struggles. Over 100 episodes were planned, and 50 scripts were written, but they were too expensive to make. Some ideas from this project, like the story of Han Solo winning the Millennium Falcon, later became movies like Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Detours
Star Wars Detours was an animated comedy series from the creators of Robot Chicken. Production started in 2012, and 39 episodes were finished. However, after Disney bought Lucasfilm, the series was postponed and never aired.
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