I'm perplexed. Originally I thought Disney cancelled The Clone Wars because they wished to refocusing the franchise's attention on the upcoming movies. But with the announcement of Star Wars: Rebels this no longer fits.

It is obvious that Disney are not short of hands or talent, and have no need to move the TCW team to working on the movies - this is evident as more or less the same team is now working on the new animated series. If anything it will take more effort and cost in the form of advertising, finding actors etc.

Its also clear that Disney did not make this move in order to capitalize on the hype that the movies will bring. TCW would not have done this as it would likely have come to an end around the same time the movie was released. Star Wars: Rebels however will air in Fall 2014 whereas Episode 7 will be released the following year. So Rebels will not capitalize on the hype either, and will draw in no more viewers that TCW already had.

So what's the real reason behind this? Do Disney simply think that this new era will be more popular?

Right now the only reason I can come up with for cancelling a perfectly good and successful series and replacing it with another (made by the same people) is to have an animated series on their own Disney Channel. To be this just seems petty, and I hope its not the case. But I didn't come here to rant (OK maybe I did ) - I want to now why you think TCW was cancelled, and do you think its justified?

I kinda figured, its more to explore a time that is relatively unexplored save for some comics and novels behind it. I mean with Clone Wars, there is already so much and while TCW added in some new things...we are still seeing clones, jedi and droids, something which has been seen thousands of times. Whereas we never have seen anything involving the Rebel Alliance or Galactic Empire, Rebels and Stormtroopers outside of the 3 OT movies, comics and novels.

Now we are gonna see stuff involving Rebels and Stormtroopers, perhaps giving them some importance...showing that Stormtroopers are indeed elite of the elite, give them faces and names, show the tactics of the Rebels. Explore things.

Disney didn't want to share with CN.

This is probably but is very likely only a part of what happened. As good as the show was, the era was heavily saturated. It was definitely time to start wrapping things up and to move on. They could also have plans for some of these characters that they did not want dictated by the show.

The fact that they kept Filoni and his core crew around says a lot to me about what they thought of the quality of the show and what they expect going forward.

I kinda figured, its more to explore a time that is relatively unexplored save for some comics and novels behind it. I mean with Clone Wars, there is already so much and while TCW added in some new things...we are still seeing clones, jedi and droids, something which has been seen thousands of times. Whereas we never have seen anything involving the Rebel Alliance or Galactic Empire, Rebels and Stormtroopers outside of the 3 OT movies, comics and novels.

 

Now we are gonna see stuff involving Rebels and Stormtroopers, perhaps giving them some importance...showing that Stormtroopers are indeed elite of the elite, give them faces and names, show the tactics of the Rebels. Explore things.

Now what you said would make sense if TCW was 'winding down' but its not, its be effectively decapitated. Entire arcs have been cut and threads left unresolved. Its actually a disservice rather than a service to the fans, yes everyone wants exploration of another era but not at the expense of existing stories, which are essentially now incomplete.

I think personally Disney should have let TCW run its course for at least another season, perhaps gradually scale it back, and then introduce Rebels. But cancel the show altogether? I have to admit that given the fact that Disney don't seem even to be allowing the remaining episodes on CN would suggest that really they just wanted an animated series of their own, and didn't want to share their franchise. Which sullies my opinion of Disney a lot.

But is cancelling the show really necessary to achieve this? Star Wars is going to be around for a least a few more decades if not much more, there are no time constraints concerning exploration.

 

Now what you said would make sense if TCW was 'winding down' but its not, its be effectively decapitated. Entire arcs have been cut and threads left unresolved. Its actually a disservice rather than a service to the fans, yes everyone wants exploration of another era but not at the expense of existing stories, which are essentially now incomplete.

 

I think personally Disney should have let TCW run its course for at least another season, perhaps gradually scale it back, and then introduce Rebels. But cancel the show altogether? I have to admit that given the fact that Disney don't seem even to be allowing the remaining episodes on CN would suggest that really they just wanted an animated series of their own, and didn't want to share their franchise. Which sullies my opinion of Disney a lot.

The show is still gonna go on, just not on TV remember? I mean ya it maybe shortened, but its still gonna finish up some stuff.

The show is still gonna go on, just not on TV remember? I mean ya it maybe shortened, but its still gonna finish up some stuff.

I hoping that the two arcs that have remained will help end the story however. 'Bonus content' just doesn't sound all that conclusive though.

My theory is that TCW was too dark/violent for Disney Channel.

Obviously this is just my speculation. But for a kids show, to be shown on the mother of all kid show channels, TCW seemed to break the mold when it came to controversial topics for kids to watch. The slavery episodes, for example. The constant displays of the dark side and its evil powers. Etc.

I think this new series will not focus so much on those more "mature" aspects of the Star Wars universe. For example: less Sith action. I think it'll probably be more action-based, and less focused on characters such as Krell, Anakin, or Ventress and their seduction to the dark side.

Just my theory, but I don't know of any show on Disney Channel like TCW when it comes to violence and mature themes.

I loved the TCW. I didn't want to see it canceled and, if they were going to wind down the series, then I think they should have let them finish out Season 6 which was already half completed anyway so that the series could be wrapped up properly. However, the basis for the decision has been reported in numerous places as Disney and Kennedy wanting to shift away from the Prequels. I never thought this would be a post-ROTJ series as that would make no sense to tie up the hands of JJ Abrams and the others to have to fit the movies into storylines created by an animated series. I always thought the time period between Episodes III and IV was most likely as it's a blank slate area of 20 years time and won't impact the new movies, they can pull characters from both sets of movies, etc. TCW was a great series but it did run for 5 seasons and over 100 episodes. There wasn't much left to tell before we ran into Episode III anyway. So it's not like the show would be going on for another 5-6 seasons anyway.

It is obvious that Disney are not short of hands or talent, and have no need to move the TCW team to working on the movies - this is evident as more or less the same team is now working on the new animated series.

If they wanted to get going on a new series though, then they'd need to get those people off of TCW and onto the new series.

So Rebels will not capitalize on the hype either, and will draw in no more viewers that TCW already had.

Well that's just a blanket assumption. There's really no basis for that statement. Even though I loved TCW, Rebels v. Vader/Emperor/Stormtroopers is infinitely more appealing than Jedi/Clones v. Droids.

Right now the only reason I can come up with for cancelling a perfectly good and successful series and replacing it with another (made by the same people) is to have an animated series on their own Disney Channel. To be this just seems petty, and I hope its not the case.

That's absolutely not the case. TCW operated on a year to year basis with the Cartoon Network. They were not under any contract with the Cartoon Network for Season 6 and so Disney could have shown TCW on it's own channels if it wanted to do so.

My theory is that TCW was too dark/violent for Disney Channel.

 

Obviously this is just my speculation. But for a kids show, to be shown on the mother of all kid show channels, TCW seemed to break the mold when it came to controversial topics for kids to watch. The slavery episodes, for example. The constant displays of the dark side and its evil powers. Etc.

 

I think this new series will not focus so much on those more "mature" aspects of the Star Wars universe. For example: less Sith action. I think it'll probably be more action-based, and less focused on characters such as Krell, Anakin, or Ventress and their seduction to the dark side.

 

Just my theory, but I don't know of any show on Disney Channel like TCW when it comes to violence and mature themes.

Ummmm, did you not read the description of the series that they posted on starwars.com??? "Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape." They are talking about the Empire expanding its domination of the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights. What part of that doesn't sound dark, violent, evil, Sith-oriented, etc? lol

My theory is that TCW was too dark/violent for Disney Channel.

 

Obviously this is just my speculation. But for a kids show, to be shown on the mother of all kid show channels, TCW seemed to break the mold when it came to controversial topics for kids to watch. The slavery episodes, for example. The constant displays of the dark side and its evil powers. Etc.

 

I think this new series will not focus so much on those more "mature" aspects of the Star Wars universe. For example: less Sith action. I think it'll probably be more action-based, and less focused on characters such as Krell, Anakin, or Ventress and their seduction to the dark side.

 

Just my theory, but I don't know of any show on Disney Channel like TCW when it comes to violence and mature themes.

I was wondering when a post like this would show up.

What is it about the tone of the new show that makes you think that it won't deal with "mature" aspects of the Star Wars Universe? Less Sith action? Who is going to spearhead the culling of the Jedi? They don't want to show "evil"? Again, I point to the culling of the Jedi.

I also take it that you have never watched a show from Disney XD? If not, that is too bad. Phineaus and Ferb is a great show and Kick Buttkowski is quite funny. I have kids, so I have learned to enjoy these. Both shows are filled with quite a bit of subtle adult humor that zooms right over my kids' heads and has me and my wife cracking up.

Do yourself a favor and get it out of your head that "Disney" means that everything is sanitized for children.

I was wondering when a post like this would show up.

 

What is it about the tone of the new show that makes you think that it won't deal with "mature" aspects of the Star Wars Universe? Less Sith action? Who is going to spearhead the culling of the Jedi? They don't want to show "evil"? Again, I point to the culling of the Jedi.

 

I also take it that you have never watched a show from Disney XD? If not, that is too bad. Phineaus and Ferb is a great show and Kick Buttkowski is quite funny. I have kids, so I have learned to enjoy these. Both shows are filled with quite a bit of subtle adult humor that zooms right over my kids' heads and has me and my wife cracking up.

 

Do yourself a favor and get it out of your head that "Disney" means that everything is sanitized for children.

TCW is easily the most mature cartoon on CN and far more mature than anything I've ever seen on Disney XD where even the romance is toned down (ever seen anyone kiss on XD?)

If TCW was a comedy cartoon like Phineas and Ferb or Adventure Time then I'd have no worries, but TCW is not comedy and its 'mature' themes are of different strains, strains that I have not seen present on any XD shows to date. But hey, until TCW came along Cartoon Network hadn't really dabbled in 'mature' themes either so perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Nonetheless Disney XD is essentially primarily and arguably heavily focused on the child audience, and your evidence to the contrary does not support a complete rejection of Warren's argument or a basis for believing that Disney won't 'sanitize' Star Wars.

What is it about the tone of the new show that makes you think that it won't deal with "mature" aspects of the Star Wars Universe? Less Sith action? Who is going to spearhead the culling of the Jedi? They don't want to show "evil"? Again, I point to the culling of the Jedi.

Except now we'd only have one Sith to deal with. I have no idea how the new show will go, and neither do you, so it's pointless to look for deeper darker meaning behind one sentence of info.

I also take it that you have never watched a show from Disney XD? If not, that is too bad. Phineaus and Ferb is a great show and Kick Buttkowski is quite funny. I have kids, so I have learned to enjoy these. Both shows are filled with quite a bit of subtle adult humor that zooms right over my kids' heads and has me and my wife cracking up.

But do those shows have choking? Death? Slavery? Treachery? Torture? Romance? I'm not saying that the new show won't, but it seems to make sense to tone it down when it goes to the Disney channel.

Do yourself a favor and get it out of your head that "Disney" means that everything is sanitized for children.

I never thought that. Look at Pirates of the Caribbean. But take another look and you'll see it's NOT a kid's TV show. TCW played on Cartoon Network right before Adult Swim at 9pm EST, a safe time to schedule it as that's the transition between younger and adult programming. Disney channel does not have adult programming, it is all kid-oriented. Likewise, so too will be Star Wars: Rebels.

As I said, this is all just my speculation. Obviously if they wanted to tone down the violence they probably could have done that by rewriting parts of TCW script. But I'm sure it played a factor in Disney's decision.

Well that's just a blanket assumption. There's really no basis for that statement. Even though I loved TCW, Rebels v. Vader/Emperor/Stormtroopers is infinitely more appealing than Jedi/Clones v. Droids.

If they wanted to get going on a new series though, then they'd need to get those people off of TCW and onto the new series.

That's absolutely not the case. TCW operated on a year to year basis with the Cartoon Network. They were not under any contract with the Cartoon Network for Season 6 and so Disney could have shown TCW on it's own channels if it wanted to do so.

I never thought that. Look at Pirates of the Caribbean. But take another look and you'll see it's NOT a kid's TV show. TCW played on Cartoon Network right before Adult Swim at 9pm EST, a safe time to schedule it as that's the transition between younger and adult programming. Disney channel does not have adult programming, it is all kid-oriented. Likewise, so too will be Star Wars: Rebels.

 

As I said, this is all just my speculation. Obviously if they wanted to tone down the violence they probably could have done that by rewriting parts of TCW script. But I'm sure it played a factor in Disney's decision.

Forgot about adult swim which has reminded me that CN is a lot more open to more mature themes than Disney channels - so I can't help but agree with you that the mature themes in TCW would have been quite out of place on Disney XD. Doesn't bode well for the future...

I don't know but I think Disney can do more mature shows if they want.

Nonetheless I can't judge, but that was back in the 90s. Given that there is nothing similar on today you could say that Disney have evolved.

Disney didn't want to share with CN.

This is the closest answer.

Cartoon Network is Time Warner

Disney is Disney–ABC

Once there is the new owner of a company "all bets are off." New contracts for distribution.

I hate to be the one to say it, but I saw at most another 1 season out of TCW, once I heard about Disney.

Filoni said he wanted to go into double figures with seasons, but I don't think he knew how much had allready been done in this era, where's episodes 3-4 hasn't been explored much....

I see TCW characters returning in Rebels, but the sad thing is, I don't see rebels ever being the same as TCW, on Disney, we will see it kiddy-fied.

I'm not going to lie, I want to see Vader hunting Jedi and relentlessly killing them, I want to see Tarkin smacking down the rebels left right and centre, hundreds of casualties with every move he makes, but it just won't happen, Disney can't have it that dark.

And it's a real shame.

It really is, this show has so much potential, but it will never be reached.

Problem is, if this is the test drive of this era, and the test of a new cartoon to accompany the films, it will fail IMO, and this era, and this style of TV show Star Wars style, will be lost forever.

And it's a real shame.

I don't think it's too dark or violent, it's simple.

1. The production fee is too high.

2. Disney wants to focus on the new trilogy and era that's related to it.

I don't think it's too dark or violent, it's simple.

 

1. The production fee is too high.

2. Disney wants to focus on the new trilogy and era that's related to it.

I respectfully dissagree. If the production costs were too high, why make another?

And this era isnt as related to the new trilogy as it could be, if thats what they were going for.

I don't think it's too dark or violent, it's simple.

 

2. Disney wants to focus on the new trilogy and era that's related to it.

The new show is set between Episode III and Episode IV. It will likely have some carry-over from TCW.

I respectfully dissagree. If the production costs were too high, why make another?

And this era isnt as related to the new trilogy as it could be, if thats what they were going for.

Nobody said it's going to be the same 3D CGI as TCW.

It could be related since the current post RotJ is a about fighting Imperials.