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"Star Wars: Clone Wars" likely moving to Disney XD

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David

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Nov 2, 2012, 9:43:09 AM11/2/12
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http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-clone-wars-leave-385661

'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Likely to Leave Cartoon Network After This
Season
by Alex Ben Block

The Clone Wars likely are coming to an end -- at least on Cartoon
Network.

Lucasfilm�s spinoff TV version of Star Wars has been a solid performer
on the Turner Entertainment-owned Cartoon Network for the past five
years, but that run will almost certainly come to an end after the
current season in the wake of the deal for Disney to acquire George
Lucas' company for $4.05 billion.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Turner, a division of Time
Warner, has the license for Star Wars: The Clone Wars only through the
end of the 2012-13 season. Each year it has renewed its deal with
Lucasfilm, and reps for both companies say they will make a decision
on continuing the show around the end of the season.

In reality, Disney is very likely to move Clone Wars to one of its own
networks, most likely Disney XD, an advertiser-supported cable TV
channel targeted at boys.

In a conference call Wednesday after the sale of Lucasfilm was
announced, Disney CEO Robert Iger said he sees big possibilities for
Star Wars content on the Disney/ABC owned TV channels. He particularly
cited Disney XD as a perfect home for a Star Wars show, although he
stopped short of mentioning Clone Wars.

Clone Wars has been one of the highest-rated shows on Cartoon Network,
even with a move to Saturday mornings this season. For the month of
October, Star Wars: The Clone Wars ranked No. 1 in its time period
among boys 9-14 and posted double-digit gains across kids and boys vs.
last year -- kids 2-11 grew by 46 percent, kids 6-11 by 34 percent,
kids 9-14 by 64 percent, boys 2-11 by 45 percent, boys 6-11 by 36
percent and boys 9-14 by 72 percent, according to a Turner
spokesperson.

At times, Clone Wars also has aired on Turner�s TNT network and Adult
Swim.

Cartoon Network retains some rerun rights to about 100 episodes that
have aired over five seasons, but it is unclear for how long. A source
at Turner could only confirm the network has the right to keep running
episodes at least through 2013.

A CG-animated series, the 22-minute episodes are created by Lucasfilm
Animation and are produced by Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and CGCG
Inc., the largest animation studio based in Taiwan.

Clone Wars debuted on Cartoon Network in October 2008 after being
launched in August 2008 as an animated feature, which played in
theaters briefly. The movie got mostly negative reviews but still
grossed about $68 million worldwide (about $35 million in North
America). There are also Clone Wars novelizations, video games and
toys from Lego and Hasbro and other tie-ins.

The Clone Wars series takes place in the same time period as the Star
Wars movies Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith
(2005), the last feature release.

Cartoon Network�s sister company Warner Bros. distributed the Clone
Wars movie in 2008 and has been selling past episodes of Clone Wars on
DVD and Blu-ray discs. That is another deal that is likely to move in
the future to Disney for home video distribution.

Obveeus

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Nov 2, 2012, 9:55:30 AM11/2/12
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"David" <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-clone-wars-leave-385661
>
> 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Likely to Leave Cartoon Network After This
> Season
> by Alex Ben Block
>
> The Clone Wars likely are coming to an end -- at least on Cartoon
> Network.
>
> Lucasfilm's spinoff TV version of Star Wars has been a solid performer
> on the Turner Entertainment-owned Cartoon Network for the past five
> years, but that run will almost certainly come to an end after the
> current season in the wake of the deal for Disney to acquire George
> Lucas' company for $4.05 billion.
>
> Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Turner, a division of Time
> Warner, has the license for Star Wars: The Clone Wars only through the
> end of the 2012-13 season. Each year it has renewed its deal with
> Lucasfilm, and reps for both companies say they will make a decision
> on continuing the show around the end of the season.
>
> In reality, Disney is very likely to move Clone Wars to one of its own
> networks, most likely Disney XD, an advertiser-supported cable TV
> channel targeted at boys.

That sounds dangerously close to a legal issue (monopoly issue). Since when
do studios specifically limit their product to their own in house TV Network
outlets? That might be the norm, but it certainly isn't an exclusive
practice. Legitimately, DISNEY XD should have to outbid CARTOON NETWORK for
the property.

> In a conference call Wednesday after the sale of Lucasfilm was
> announced, Disney CEO Robert Iger said he sees big possibilities for
> Star Wars content on the Disney/ABC owned TV channels. He particularly
> cited Disney XD as a perfect home for a Star Wars show, although he
> stopped short of mentioning Clone Wars.

Sounds like it will be a push to use an established show as leverage to
force cable providers to offer yet another fringe network as part of their
basic cable package.


Ian J. Ball

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Nov 2, 2012, 11:20:49 AM11/2/12
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In article <5bj7989qbhr6kpqrp...@4ax.com>,
David <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-clone-wars-leave-385661
>
> 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Likely to Leave Cartoon Network After This
> Season
> by Alex Ben Block
>
> The Clone Wars likely are coming to an end -- at least on Cartoon
> Network.
>
> Lucasfilm’s spinoff TV version of Star Wars has been a solid performer
> on the Turner Entertainment-owned Cartoon Network for the past five
> years, but that run will almost certainly come to an end after the
> current season in the wake of the deal for Disney to acquire George
> Lucas' company for $4.05 billion.
>
> Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Turner, a division of Time
> Warner, has the license for Star Wars: The Clone Wars only through the
> end of the 2012-13 season. Each year it has renewed its deal with
> Lucasfilm, and reps for both companies say they will make a decision
> on continuing the show around the end of the season.
>
> In reality, Disney is very likely to move Clone Wars to one of its own
> networks, most likely Disney XD, an advertiser-supported cable TV
> channel targeted at boys.

Ah, so now we know why Disney really wanted this deal...

--
"Surf-crazed aliens... Of course." - Amber, "Alien Surf Girls",
Episode #1.1, "Wipeout".
Wait a minute... "Of course"?! "*Of course*"?!! Did I miss a step here??!!

David

unread,
Nov 2, 2012, 11:43:55 AM11/2/12
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On Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:20:49 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
<ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

>In article <5bj7989qbhr6kpqrp...@4ax.com>,
> David <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-clone-wars-leave-385661
>>
>> 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Likely to Leave Cartoon Network After This
>> Season
>> by Alex Ben Block

>> In reality, Disney is very likely to move Clone Wars to one of its own
>> networks, most likely Disney XD, an advertiser-supported cable TV
>> channel targeted at boys.
>
>Ah, so now we know why Disney really wanted this deal...

They did it to get "Muppet Babies" released on DVD without needing to
edit out "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" clips.

Your Name

unread,
Nov 2, 2012, 4:39:41 PM11/2/12
to
Welcome to planet Earth ... you must be new here. ;-)

Since when did ANY media producing company with it's own distribution
network EVER put that product out for bids?? You may as well say Apple
make the iPad, but they should put it out to Google and Microsoft for bids
to sell it ... utterly ridiculous nonsense.

Ian J. Ball

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Nov 2, 2012, 7:00:48 PM11/2/12
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In article <pfq798hdc6ds2fvo9...@4ax.com>,
Nah, silly - Disney just wants an unending supply of (Star Wars)
cartoons. Now they've got that.

Obveeus

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Nov 2, 2012, 7:33:41 PM11/2/12
to

"Ian J. Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:

> David <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> They did it to get "Muppet Babies" released on DVD without needing to
>> edit out "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" clips.
>
> Nah, silly - Disney just wants an unending supply of (Star Wars)
> cartoons. Now they've got that.

I don't think STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS could air its current plotlines on
Disney XD. Is that network going to tolerate a show where every other
episode is about some military guy sacrificing his life for the greater good
of the war effort?


David

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Nov 2, 2012, 7:51:32 PM11/2/12
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The Disney characters did recently perform in North Korea.

Obveeus

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Nov 2, 2012, 7:59:54 PM11/2/12
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Only applicable if it was a one way trip for the good of The Mouse House.


Your Name

unread,
Nov 2, 2012, 9:56:05 PM11/2/12
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In article
<ijball-NO_SPAM-DE2...@news.eternal-september.org>, "Ian J.
Ball" <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:
> In article <pfq798hdc6ds2fvo9...@4ax.com>,
> David <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > On Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:20:49 -0700, "Ian J. Ball"
> > <ijball-...@mac.invalid> wrote:
> > >In article <5bj7989qbhr6kpqrp...@4ax.com>,
> > > David <diml...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >> http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-clone-wars-leave-385661
> > >>
> > >> 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Likely to Leave Cartoon Network After This
> > >> Season
> > >> by Alex Ben Block
> >
> > >> In reality, Disney is very likely to move Clone Wars to one of its own
> > >> networks, most likely Disney XD, an advertiser-supported cable TV
> > >> channel targeted at boys.
> > >
> > >Ah, so now we know why Disney really wanted this deal...
> >
> > They did it to get "Muppet Babies" released on DVD without needing to
> > edit out "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" clips.
>
> Nah, silly - Disney just wants an unending supply of (Star Wars)
> cartoons. Now they've got that.

As long as they release the existing Droids and Ewoks series on DVD first! :-)

Your Name

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Nov 2, 2012, 9:58:43 PM11/2/12
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At the recent Star Wars Celebration expo in America there was actually
talk of an animated series aimed at younger kids - "Junior Jedi" following
a group of Padawans. Some kids (and adults with kids) reportedly got a
sneak preview of some footage.

David Johnston

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Nov 16, 2012, 3:17:11 PM11/16/12
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Why wouldn't it?

Obveeus

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Nov 16, 2012, 3:40:10 PM11/16/12
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While 'DISNEY" product loves the idea of killing off mommy and making baby
an orphan, I don't think they are going to be too keen on regularly having
their show's actual protagonists dying.


Your Name

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Nov 16, 2012, 5:24:27 PM11/16/12
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Few characters die - most of those that do are Battle Droids. Even some of
the other characters who do die return again thanks to rather silly ideas
like cyborg Maul. :-(

Your Name

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Nov 16, 2012, 5:28:11 PM11/16/12
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In article <k868bb$pso$1...@dont-email.me>, "Obveeus" <Obv...@aol.com> wrote:
There's worse news than simply moving The Clone Wars animated show to a
different network / channel. Apparently, as well as the new trilogy,
Disney also plan to release two to three Star Wars movies every year!!
Obviously they're only interested in making a quick buck while flushing
the franchise down the toilet. :-(
Message has been deleted

Your Name

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Nov 16, 2012, 10:58:20 PM11/16/12
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In article <757800327374813979.41...@news.aioe.org>,
<ade...@inbox.com> wrote:
> It really isn't actually. It is about making a trilogy every year, and the
> way that Disney can do so is to adopt decompression like Marvel comics did,
> where once a story that used to be told in 23 pages can now take a graphic
> novel to fill.
>
> Expect to see Luke Skywalker eating, Han Solo washing his hands, Chewbacca
> getting a pedicure...

Precisely. Quantity doesn't usually equal quality ... and then we'll get
the usual stupid excuse of "franchise fatigue" when they suddenly wonder
why few people are bother to continue watching the drivel they're
shovelling out the door as quickly as possible to make a fast buck.
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