News Tales of the Jedi, new animated shorts anthology series.

[Reverend]

So while the title of this project was leaked a while back, speculation on what it actually is has been just that: speculation. At least until now, as buried in the recently published schedule for the upcoming Star Wars Celebration is this little nugget: -

2:30PM – 3:30PM
Tales of the Jedi
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages Introducing Tales of the Jedi, animated anthology shorts. Hosted by Amy Ratcliffe with special guest Dave Filoni.

So, as some have guessed this is indeed an animated series, and as I hoped, it's an anthology. The "shorts" part however have me feeling a little disappointed, making this feel more like a short term side project than a full series. Less 'Clone Wars' and more 'Galaxy of Adventures'/'Forces of Destiny', which makes me think it's probably aimed at a younger, web only audience.

Not that this is bad per-see, I just would have liked to see a new Clone Wars style take on the old comic series of the same name, mixed with little stories from all over the timeline from The Old Republic, the High Republic, Skywalker era and beyond. Still, here's hoping it has a little more substance than the previous 'shorts' series and turns out more like the old Genndy Tartakovsky CW micro series in terms of tone.

Just for a bit of fun, I threw a poll up to see where most people's interests lie.

 

[JD]

Yeah, the shorts part is a little disappointing, but they've managed to do some pretty good shorts in the past, so I'm gonna try and be optimistic.
As for what eras I'd be interested in, I'm up for pretty much any time pre-Prequels.

 

[Tuskin38]

Less 'Clone Wars' and more 'Galaxy of Adventures'/'Forces of Destiny', which makes me think it's probably aimed at a younger, web only audience.

I doubt they'd have a dedicated panel with Dave Filoni for a series like that.

 

[Reverend]

Yeah, the shorts part is a little disappointing, but they've managed to do some pretty good shorts in the past, so I'm gonna try and be optimistic.
As for what eras I'd be interested in, I'm up for pretty much any time pre-Prequels.

I don't have any serious concerns about the quality. Just hoping the content has a little more substance than said format usually goes in for.

I doubt they'd have a dedicated panel with Dave Filoni for a series like that.

That did occur to me. Like I said, I'm hoping some something with more substance to it, but historically LFA has typically only made use of shorts for the lighter fare. Remember a short is usually by definition only 3-4 mins. 5 at a stretch. That's tone poem/vignette territory at best.
I guess they could go the route of the old Genny CW show's first season and split longer stories up into several 3-4min chunks, but for a streaming service that seems like a very odd choice.

 

[Tuskin38]

It will be in Clone Wars art style. The stories are based on things Dave comes up with inbetween shoots, writing while travelling.

https://twitter.com/sw_holocron/with_replies

There will be a story with a Young Qui-Gon and Dooku. Qui-Gon will be voiced by both Liam Neeson and his son. He also mentioned there will be an Ahsoka story.

 

[Reverend]

SWE are live tweeting from the panel right now.
3D CG animation; art style looks very Clone Wars/Bad Batch. So far confirmed are a young Dooku/Qui-Gon episode and three Ahsoka episodes from various points in her life (I'd put money on one of them being her discovery by Plo.)
Neeson will be back, as will his son, presumably voicing young Qui-Gon.

ETA: Oh, and it looks like one of the Ahsoka stories is straight up The Novel adapted (at least in part.)

 

[Tuskin38]

https://twitter.com/StarWarsExplain/status/1530666474766934016
Looks an encounter with the inquisitor between Clone Wars in Rebels.
Maybe how she got her white saber crystals?

They're showing one at the panel

 

[Reverend]

^Yeah, like I said it looks the Inquisitor fight straight out of the Ahsoka novel. Yes, that's how she got her crystals.

 

[Turtletrekker]

SWE are live tweeting from the panel right now.
3D CG animation; art style looks very Clone Wars/Bad Batch. So far confirmed are a young Dooku/Qui-Gon episode and three Ahsoka episodes from various points in her life (I'd put money on one of them being her discovery by Plo.)
Neeson will be back, as will his son, presumably voicing young Qui-Gon.

ETA: Oh, and it looks like one of the Ahsoka stories is straight up The Novel adapted (at least in part.)

Here's hoping they bring back Ashley Eckstein. I love Rosario Dawson in the role, but animated Ahsoka belongs to Ashley.

 

[Reverend]

From the official twitter account: -
"Tales of the Jedi is an anthology of Original animated shorts, each story featuring Jedi from the prequel era, streaming Fall 2022"

I'll be honest, I'm a little disappointed it seems to be restricted to PT characters. I was hoping for a MUCH wider net. Maybe they're expand the scope if it gets another season? (though given the usual schedule of animation production, if they're airing in Autumn, they're probably already recording the second season and at least planning, if not writing a third . . . assuming there's more in the pipeline at all of course.)

Here's hoping they bring back Ashley Eckstein. I love Rosario Dawson in the role, but animated Ahsoka belongs to Ashley.

I think it's a safe bet any animation with Ahsoka will be Ashley, certainly for anything Rebels and prior. *Maybe* they'll bring in Rosario if it's a New Republic Era story; honestly I wouldn't be surprised either way.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

ETA: Oh, and it looks like one of the Ahsoka stories is straight up The Novel adapted (at least in part.)

That's exciting! I really enjoyed that novel.

 

[Tuskin38]

The tale they showed at the con was around 15 minutes long.
https://twitter.com/sw_holocron/status/1530672435346829312
"The episode of Tales of the Jedi shown to the Celebration audience shows Ahsoka on the day of her birth and then as a baby with her mother in a day of her life as It’s minimalist, has little dialogue, and the animation is beautiful."

Janina Gavankar, who voiced Iden in Battlefront 2 voiced Ahsoka's mother.

 

[Reverend]

(I'd put money on one of them being her discovery by Plo.)

So close!
Also: Janina Gavankar racking up third Star Wars character credit!

 

[JD]

Third? The only other Star Wars credit on her Wikipedia page is Battlefront II.

 

[Tuskin38]

Third? The only other Star Wars credit on her Wikipedia page is Battlefront II.

She did background voices in The Rise of Skywalker.

No specific character, just what credits would call 'additional voices'. Comm chatter and such.

She also narrated an audio book.

 

[Reverend]

Third? The only other Star Wars credit on her Wikipedia page is Battlefront II.

She did background voices in The Rise of Skywalker.

No specific character, just what credits would call 'additional voices'. Comm chatter and such.

She also narrated an audio book.

Actually I was thinking about her being one of the puppeteers for this guy. I had no clue she did ADR on tRoS!
Now that I think about it, the former was probably uncredited anyway. Still, that's quite the roster already.

 

[Tuskin38]

Apparently some of the Tales of the Jedi stories are dark. Like ‘Dave what we’re you thinking?’ Dark. Whatever that means.

 

[Reverend]

I'll just put these here . . .

Apparently some of the Tales of the Jedi stories are dark. Like ‘Dave what we’re you thinking?’ Dark. Whatever that means.

I'm just assuming Dooku murders his family, because how else did he inherit the whole damn planet?

 

[fireproof78]

I'm just assuming Dooku murders his family, because how else did he inherit the whole damn planet?

In Legends he was slated to inherit it but couldn't as he was a Jedi and had renounced his title. When he left the Order he reclaimed his title and the fortune that went with it.

 

[Reverend]

In Legends he was slated to inherit it but couldn't as he was a Jedi and had renounced his title. When he left the Order he reclaimed his title and the fortune that went with it.

I can see a scenario where that "reclaiming" involved a lot of stabbing, maybe some poison, and one or two tragic accidents when people brutally and mysteriously cut their own heads off while shaving.
I mean he'd been a Jedi for going on 80 years. Clearly others would have inherited what would otherwise have been his, and historically speaking, aristocrats aren't very quick to give up power and wealth they feel they're entitled to. So there was probably a long line of second cousins, great nieces and nephews standing in his way.