What to expect from Star Wars and Disney+

Now that the streaming service has a name, the marketing for Disney+ has really begun… Along with some inklings of how it will work.

Per Vulture’s Josef Adalian, Star Wars will be one of the “five central content hubs” for the service (along with classic Disney, Marvel, Pixar and National Geographic) so there won’t be much need for Netflix-style scrolling.

We also know that they’re aiming for the monthly price to be less than Netflix (cheapest plan: $7.99). Disney’s ESPN+ streaming service, which launched earlier this year, currently charges $4.99 a month. So I suspect we’ll be looking at something that’ll run fans $5-7 a month. (And maybe even some savings if bundled with an ESPN+ or Hulu subscription?)

But! The content. What’s coming for Star Wars? Here’s what we know for sure, some speculation about what else may be in play, and what we definitely won’t see.

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Video: Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars

Not sure how long this is going to last, but it looks like you can now watch the entire run of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars on Youtube. It’s unofficial, but with the DVDs out of print this may be your best chance to catch up.

The series of shorts, produced by Cartoon Network Studios, originally aired in three chunks between the releases of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith from 2003-2005. They have received little attention from Lucasfilm since the more traditional The Clone Wars started in 2008.

Let’s hope they make the cut for the Digital Library

Tartakovsky on the boxing of his 2D Clone Wars

As many readers may know or have noticed, I’m not big on The Clone Wars. It’s nothing personal, really: Just another facet of my apathy to the prequel era.

But one thing I do have surprisingly strong opinions on? The original Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars shorts. They aired on Cartoon Network (and online, via Hyperspace) in 2003-2005 between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and they were amazing. Little bite-sized bits of gorgeous, mostly dialogue-free animation that played up all the strengths of Star Wars… And it’s a damn, damn shame that they’ve been so buried, as Tartakovsky discuses in this HuffPo interview.

What would The Clone Wars be with his hand at the wheel? Did Lucas decide his take was too arty, too inaccessible? Was it less likely to sell toys? Did he want too much independence in storytelling? (Probably safe to say that the fanboy nitpicking was not a factor.) I’d have loved to seen a full-length series from him and his team, but I guess it’s just another one for the might-have-been file.

Tartakovsky – How to make friends and influence people

Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of the Clone Wars cartoon (not that one, the first one), spoke at Rhode Island School of Design this past weekend.

Club Jader (and some-day-Pulitzer Prize winner), Caroline Sedano, attended and wrote up this great summary of the event for The Brown Daily Herald.

Club Jade wishes to note that we aren’t the least bit biased about the shining examples of Star Wars reporting done by its members.

The Clone Wars game sure to… uh… something

If you’ve been dying to hear more about The Clone Wars game (or just a The Clone Wars game) it’s your lucky day: IGN has an interview with LucasArts’ Feargus Carroll, and we learn the game’s name (The Clone Wars: Jedi Alliance) and that it’s a Nintendo DS (handheld) exclusive. And it involves Nightsisters. And Dooku.

But! There are two, and the other one is just The Clone Wars and for the Wii. Looks like just a basic dueler… Yes kids, you’re finally getting your Wii lightsaber game. Hoorah.