'Star Wars Rebels' Renewed For Season 2 On Eve Of Premiere
The first step to Episode VII takes place Friday night when Star Wars Rebels debuts on The Disney Channel. Set between Episodes III and IV, the cartoon is the first piece of new content being released under the Disneyfied Star Wars umbrella, which boasts a fully connected universe. Rebels is 100% part of the Star Wars canon and will not only set the tone for Episode VII next year, it will have teases toward it too. Plus, on it's own, it's a fantastic thrill-ride seeped in what makes Star Wars great. That doesn't hurt.
For those reasons, Disney has the utmost confidence in the show and, the day before the first season premieres, they've already renewed Star Wars Rebels for Season 2.
The Star Wars Rebels Season 2 news was revealed on the official Star Wars website. Here's the press release, which includes all the dates and times for the premiere:
One day ahead of a highly-anticipated television premiere, Disney Channels Worldwide President and Chief Creative Officer Gary Marsh announced plans to produce a second season of the animated series Star Wars Rebels from Lucasfilm.
Marsh said, "The global expectations for this series could not have been any higher. And I am proud to say that the team at Lucasfilm has delivered something that has surpassed even that incredibly high bar – artistically and thematically."
Star Wars Rebels has received acclaim from critics and fans alike since its advance debut screening at San Diego Comic-Con in July, followed by special previews this week on WATCH Disney XD and other digital platforms. Star Wars Rebels will be introduced via a television movie, Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion, premiering Friday, October 3 (9:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel in the U.S. and Monday, October 6 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD in the U.S. It ushers in the series beginning Monday, October 13 (9:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD in the U.S. The series will air in 34 languages across 163 countries in over 400 million households.
"We all love making 'Rebels,' so we couldn't be happier that it's moving into a second season," says Lucasfilm VP of Creative Development, Kiri Hart. "Our fantastic creative team is dreaming up new stories for the crew of the Ghost that will expand their experience of the galaxy and deepen their heroes' journeys. The fan response to the show has been amazing, humbling and inspiring. We're looking forward to the adventure ahead."
The creative team behind the second season of Star Wars Rebels includes Executive Producers Simon Kinberg and Dave Filoni, and Co-Executive Producer and Supervising Writer Henry Gilroy.
Star Wars Rebels continues the epic story-telling tradition that has captivated generations of Star Wars fans since 1977. Its story is set in the era between the film's prequel trilogy and original trilogy and is in a unique position to bridge the two both aesthetically and generationally. Honoring the past while moving boldly into the future, it features fantastic icons from Star Wars while introducing a new generation to the far corners of the galaxy, one full of exotic new creatures and characters. "