Disney XD has ordered a third season of animated series Star Wars Rebels from Lucasfilm. The third season is in production and is scheduled to premiere in 2016.
"We are proud to bring our audience a third season of Star Wars Rebels, a series that has resonated across generations,” said Marc Buhaj, senior VP, programming, and general manager, Disney XD. "The creative team behind the series continues to do a brilliant job in delivering on the key tenets that fans have come to expect from a Star Wars property, including adventure, hope and the battle between good vs. evil."
Star Wars Rebels is Disney XD’s No. 2 series in total viewers (1.3 million), kids 6-11, boys 6-11 and boys 2-11, according to the cable net, and is Disney XD’s No. 1 series among adults 18-49.
"We're very proud of our incredibly creative Rebels team," said Kiri Hart, Lucasfilm senior VP of development. "The show continues to tell fun, heartfelt, exciting new Star Wars stories week after week, and it's beloved by fans of all ages. Season Three will see our Rebel heroes face new obstacles and find new allies in their fight against the Empire."
The second season featured the return of clone troopers Captain Rex, Captain Gregor and Commander Wolffe, and new characters including the Seventh Sister, a crafty Inquisitor who is tasked by Darth Vader to track down the rebels.
The series is created by Dave Filoni (Star Wars:The Clone Wars), Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Carrie Beck. The Lucasfilm Animation production is executive-produced by Filoni and Kinberg.
Voice actors include Freddie Prinze Jr., Vanessa Marshall and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Series production continues amidst tremendous anticipation for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which has its theatrical release Dec. 18. Directed by J. J. Abrams, the movie takes place 30 years after defeating the Galactic Empire, as Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from saturnine Kylo Ren and his band of ill-tempered Stormtroopers.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
