Lucasfilm Announces Bad Batch Animated Series Coming to Disney Plus in 2021
It’s official. A brand new animated Star Wars series has been ordered for Disney Plus next year!
(from Lucasfilm):
The series follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in “The Clone Wars”) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch – a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army — each possess a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose.
“Giving new and existing fans the final chapter of ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ has been our honor at Disney+, and we are overjoyed by the global response to this landmark series,” said Agnes Chu, senior vice president, Content, Disney+. “While the Clone Wars may have come to its conclusion, our partnership with the groundbreaking storytellers and artists at Lucasfilm Animation is only beginning. We are thrilled to bring Dave Filoni’s vision to life through the next adventures of the Bad Batch.”
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” is executive produced by Dave Filoni (“The Mandalorian,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”), Athena Portillo (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels”), Brad Rau (“Star Wars Rebels,” “Star Wars Resistance”) and Jennifer Corbett (“Star Wars Resistance,” “NCIS”) with Carrie Beck (“The Mandalorian,” “Star Wars Rebels”) as co-executive producer and Josh Rimes as producer (“Star Wars Resistance”). Rau is also serving as supervising director with Corbett as head writer.
Big shout out to Noah Outlaw, who first broke the scoop on this story back in June:
We can 100% say that the next Star Wars animated series features The Bad Batch as the main leads. It’ll take place after “The Siege of Mandalore” and Hunter, Crosshair, Tech, Wrecker, and Echo will all be back. pic.twitter.com/0GLRZA51HI
— Noah Outlaw (@OutlawNoah) June 18, 2020
That’s all the info we have right now but the reveal that it’s a post-Clone Wars era is very interesting. While there have been mentions of clones in the Empire’s service before, only in passing, we’ve never gotten a look at that transition from Order 66 to Imperial Stormtrooper.
The suggestion of ‘mercenary missions’ implies the Bad Batch aren’t in the Empire’s service anymore for the bulk of the show, but hopefully we’re shown the team’s transition into mercenary life.
Bad Batch were shown as a loner squad, without a Jedi general, meaning that Order 66 may not have even have effected them. We’ve never seen Order 66 from the perspective of clones who weren’t essentially standing right next to a Jedi, maybe this will give Bad Batch a different perspective than others, especially with Echo’s high opinion of Jedi vs. the rest of the squads very limited interaction with them. Alternatively, maybe we’ll get to see Bad Batch on a high profile Order 66, Jedi assassination mission. Who Knows?
‘Struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose’ makes me think of Firefly. The Bad Batch will be trying to find there place without a Republic to serve and clankers to destroy, all while attempting to pick up jobs and keep the team, and its ship, together.
The possibilities are endless at the moment, but hopefully it’s an interesting exploration of post-war clones, filled with the awesomely staged battle scenes that made the The Bad Batch arc so exciting.
Whatever the premise, we know that these clones are not meant to be expendable.
Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.
