Simon Kinberg talks Star Wars: Rebels animated series and how it will be true to the original trilogy

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Executive producer and screenwriter Simon Kinberg (X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, SHERLOCK HOLMES) is ushering in a new, but familiar, era for STAR WARS fans with the new animated series Star Wars: Rebels, which takes place just before STAR WARS: EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, where the formation of the Rebel Alliance takes shape. Kinberg, a devout STAR WARS fan, has a specific goal in mind for the show, saying:

"The hope and the dream is that the experience of Rebels is similar to the experience of watching A New Hope, and Empire, and Jedi for the first time."

Kinberg goes on to discuss the creation of the new villain, The Inquisitor, and how he will play into the overall STAR WARS universe, saying that Darth Vader is "the greatest villain in the history of storytelling" and that factored into the creation of the new baddie as he would have to be both "formidable and terrifying" while also showing that it's "possible for anyone to end up like him."

After years of the Clone Wars I'm excited to see a new era of animated STAR WARS and the passion that Kinberg and his team have is enough to keep that excitement going. Kinberg seems to have the pulse of the franchise and realizes the impact it will have on current and future fans, saying:

"Rebels is going to be the first point of entry for a new generation of Star Wars fans," he says, "and it will hopefully be a point of return for existing Star Wars fans."

Star Wars: Rebels will premiere in fall of 2014 as a one-hour special on the Disney Channel.