Star Wars: The Clone Wars Cancelled, Detours Delayed

The Force is no longer with these ones as Episode VII approaches...
Lucasfilm Studios have this week confirmed a shift in their future television programme plans. Firstly, animated hit series Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been cancelled after five successful seasons. The show reached its epic climax last week in the States as Ahsoka was ultimately forced into a test of nerves so gruelling that the Padawan elected to leave the Jedi Order for good, explaining her absence in Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith.

However, this does not necessarily mean a definitive end to the Clone Wars saga. Lucasfilm did at least tease at the press conference "new Clone Wars story arcs that promise to be some of the most thrilling adventures ever seen", and although these won't be available on Cartoon Network and Sky Movies HD, we're told to "stay tuned for more information" on how these final episodes will be formatted. On top of that, there's "a whole new Star Wars series" of animated episodes to come "set in a time period previously untouched in Star Wars films or television programming" which we'll find out more on in the later months of 2013.

Sadly, another fatality of sorts in the push towards a focus on Star Wars Episode VII is Seth Green's announced comedy animation Star Wars: Detours. It's a real shame after the neat Celebration VI trailer for this promising series that Lucasfilm has "reconsidered whether launching an animated comedy prior to the launch of Episode VII makes sense", as it means that we're not going to see the series until 2016 at the earliest. It's a sore turn of events that fans probably weren't anticipating. And the worst part? There are reports going around that the promising Star Wars 1313 video game has been put 'on hold' too.

Far be it from us to comment too heavily on matters in flux such as these, but it seems to us that Lucasfilm may be placing all of its eggs in one Jedi basket with Episode VII, so they best hope that their strategy does not backfire with reception on the level of The Phantom Menace come 2015. Star Wars: The Clone Wars will return for its final season this Summer on Sky Movies HD.