Chronologically set between Star Wars Episode II and III, “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith”, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” will be the first animated film of the popular sci-fi series to be released in theaters and will serve as an introduction for the weekly television series due to debut this fall on Cartoon Network.

The central Clone Wars of the upcoming movie rant and rave between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic. When Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta the Hutt, is captured by a group of renegades, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi sally forth in the attempt of obtaining some answers. They want to find out where Rotta the Hutt is and who is behind the enigmatic and furtive renegade group. Yoda sends Ahsoka Tano along in order to become Anakin’s apprentice. Furthermore, Count Dooku will give a free rein to his minions, including Asajj Ventress, to thwart the Republic’s plans and to generate a three way war between the Galactic Republic, the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Hutts.

The production directed by Dave Filoni, from a script credited to Scott Murphy and television animation veterans Henry Gilroy and Steven Melching, is the first “Star Wars” film to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and not by 20^th Century Fox. However, it has received generally negative reviews since the movie may seem too familiar, in spite of its animated disguise.

While the voices of originators Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and even Yoda’s Frank Oz won’t feature in the production, a refreshing bit of stability will be offered by Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee and Anthony Daniels, who provide Mace Windu, Count Dooku and C-3PO, respectively, with their own voices.

George Lucas’ animated production is due for release on August 14 in Australia and August 15 in the United States and the United Kingdom and is rated “PG” for “sci-fi action violence throughout, brief language and momentary smoking.”