Star Wars Forces of Destiny: First Look at Animated Micro-Series

While current animated hit Star Wars Rebels continues to impress longtime fans of the franchise, it appears that executive producer Dave Filoni and the gang have a new project up their sleeves. A new Star Wars micro-series has been revealed, called Star Wars Forces of Destiny, set to depict untold and heroically inspiring stories from across the franchise’s various eras, focusing on female characters.

Disney and Lucasfilm unveiled Star Wars Forces of Destiny as planned anthological micro-series of animated shorts set to debut on the Disney YouTube channel this July, with each episode focusing on a different signature female Star Wars character, clocking in at about 2-3 minutes. A two-part television special will also air on Disney Channel the following fall. The micro-series will be developed by Lucasfilm Animation under the purview of Star War Rebels (and former Star Wars: The Clone Wars) executive producer Dave Filoni, who will diverge from the traditional 30-minute-with-commercials format to a smaller one that was famously utilized by Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky in the original (now-apocryphal,) 2003-2005 Star Wars: Clone Wars Cartoon Network micro-series.

A surefire sign that Disney/Lucasfilm has huge plans for Star Wars Forces of Destiny is the fact that they’ve corralled all the actresses who played the female characters in focus to lend their voices. Indeed, the series will feature the likes of film characters Rey (Daisy Ridley), Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and series narrator Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o) back, as well as animated mainstays Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) and Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar). Also, the Original Trilogy-era exploits of Princess Leia Organa will also be in focus on the micro-series. As Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy states:

“Star Wars Forces of Destiny is for anyone who has been inspired by Leia’s heroism, Rey’s courage, or Ahsoka’s tenacity. We’re thrilled that so many of the original actors are reprising their roles in these shorts which capture the small moments and everyday decisions that shape who these characters are. It is a fun new way for people to experience Star Wars.”

With Disney and Lucasfilm referring to Star Wars Forces of Destiny as an “initiative,” the scope of the micro-series will extend well beyond YouTube or Disney Channel, inciting a merchandise-blitzing brand extension of the Star Wars franchise that will be affixed on an array of books, clothing, bedding, role-play weapons and, notably, a line of 11-inch scale hybrid action-figure/doll “Adventure Figures” aimed at inspiring young girls and broadening the demographic. Thus, you should expect to find yourself inundated with the Star Wars Forces of Destiny branding by the time summer rolls around.

Star Wars Forces of Destiny will premiere on the Disney YouTube Channel in July, heralding a subsequent two-part Disney Channel special.