We still have to wait about a year and a half before the highly-anticipated "Star Wars: Episode VII" hits theaters on Dec. 8, 2015. Luckily, we have some exciting "Star Wars" news to tide us over until then.
The first seven minutes of the new animated series "Star Wars Rebels" hit the Interwebs, complete with all of the intergalactic action and adventure the franchise is known for. In the clip, we meet the lovable thief Ezra (voiced by Taylor Gray) who's a bit of a troublemaker. He swipes some fruit from a vendor, a gadget from an Imperial officer and a mysterious box whose contents we are not made aware of just yet, but that have got to be pretty valuable.
Once Ezra lifts that cargo, however, he finds himself in a bit of a pickle, getting chased through the city by none other than the cowboy jedi Kanan (voiced by Freddie Prinze, Jr.). We told you there must be something pretty sweet in that box.
"Star Wars Rebels" is yet another prequel in the "Star Wars" universe, but don't let that deter you. It is set five years before "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope" takes place and chronicles the beginning of the Rebellion as the Empire continues to wreak havoc on the galaxy. Although the series looks a lot like its animated predecessor "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," which aired on Cartoon Network and later Netflix, the creators of "Star Wars Rebels" said they want this new series to have the feel of the original films.
"There is a mandate in the writers' room to have the adventure vibe of the original movies," said Executive Producer Simon Kinberg.
The series made its public debut at Comic-Con International: San Diego in July, where it was met with rapturous applause. The "Star Wars Rebels" cast and showrunners also filled fans in on the new weapons that the series would feature, such as a spinning, double-edged lightsaber, and a new villain named The Inquisitor, a Jedi hunter voiced by Jason Isaacs.
"Star Wars Rebels" is set to premiere with an hour-long special telecast on Disney Channel in October before it airs on its regular home on Disney XD.
