Beginning today, Star Wars content will be available for the first time ever to Netflix customers in the U.S. and Canada. The entire Star Wars: The Clone Wars saga will be available for streaming including director’s cut episodes and the feature film. A sixth season titled The Lost Missions, will also debut featuring thirteen new episodes.
Cartoon Network previously produced the series, but as a result of an expired licensing agreement, Disney chose to approach Netflix. This most recent deal made by Disney has made Netflix the exclusive subscriptions service for the series, deepening their partnership. As a result, new story arcs will be developed within the show and unanswered questions will be addressed. A new Star Wars animated series called Star Wars Rebels is also in the works and will premiere on the Disney Channel.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer stated, “Star Wars is one of the most iconic franchises of all time”. This new multi-year agreement with Netflix follows the fall announcement of Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilms and the Star Wars franchise for $4 billion. Shortly after the sale, the production of Star Wars Episode VII was announced with a December 2015 release date.
Since the 1977 theatrical release of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, the Star Wars universe has expanded and has traversed across generations. With new shows and a blockbuster on the horizon, it is safe to say that Star Wars is here to stay.
Gamenomics & Comicology 