"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" will open in theaters on August 15, ahead of a series of 30-minute "mini-movies" that will premiere on the Cartoon Network and TNT cable channels in the fall.

"I felt there were a lot more 'Star Wars' stories left to tell," said "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who will executive produce the project. "I was eager to start telling some of them through animation and at the same time push the art of animation forward."

Both the film and TV mini-movies will mix favorite "Star Wars" heroes such as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padme Amidala with new ones like Anakin's Padawan learner, Ahsoka. Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous round out the cast of sinister villains poised to rule the galaxy. Lucasfilm already has produced more than 30 episodes of "The Clone Wars."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter