With Disney's purchase of the franchise, many of us were left wondering what this meant for the show's future. Considering the program's success on Cartoon Network, it was fair to assume the animated adventure would simply move to Disney XD, but it looks like the show will instead become one with the force.

Lucasfilm made the announcement today, but it's not all bad news for fans. Supervising Director Dave Filoni says, "The best is yet to come" and showed a new clip which revealed the beginning of Order 66. While a new season for The Clone Wars on XD doesn't seem likely, it's entirely possible these additionally tales could be clumped into an animated film.

Additionally, it sounds like there's a new show in the works... one that dives into "a time period previously untouched." The announcement also says the debut of Star Wars: Detours (Seth Green, Todd Grimes, Matthew Senreich) will be delayed.

Here's the full message:

As we enter into an exciting new era focused on the next Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm has decided to pursue a new direction in animated programming. We are exploring a whole new Star Wars series set in a time period previously untouched in Star Wars films or television programming. You can expect more details in the months to come.

As part of this shift, we have also made some key decisions affecting Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Detours.

After five highly successful and critically acclaimed seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, we feel the time has come to wind down the series. While the studio is no longer producing new episodes for Cartoon Network, we're continuing production on new Clone Wars story arcs that promise to be some of the most thrilling adventures ever seen. Stay tuned for more information on where fans can soon find this bonus content. In the video below, Supervising Director Dave Filoni offers a peek of what is to come in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

At Star Wars Celebration VI last year, George Lucas gave fans a glimpse at the animated comedy series Star Wars Detours from Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, and Todd Grimes. Detours was conceived and produced before we decided to move forward with the new Star Wars trilogy, and in the wake of that decision, Lucasfilm has reconsidered whether launching an animated comedy prior to the launch of Episode VII makes sense. As a result, we've decided to postpone the release of Detours until a later date.

We are incredibly proud of the teams at Lucasfilm Animation for creating some of the most amazing animation ever produced for TV. Keep checking StarWars.com for new developments on these and future projects.

This show has certainly left us with a lot of questions (what does this mean for Darth Maul?!), but at least it went out on a fantastic note. You'll be missed, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Source: Starwars.com

As much as I don't want to see this stop, I'd love this to be replaced by an new series in the Rebellion era.

I loved Clone wars but I would be excited to see a new Star Wars show. In a new time period done by the Clone Wars team!

In a weird way, that makes sense not to produce a season 6 on a new network, but at the same time, it's puzzling. I guess they will be web episodes or something.

The video plus the Order 66 short (starts around 2:15) can be seen here: http://starwars.com/news/a-new-direction-for-lucasfilm-animation.html

is joss whedon secretly killing all the things we love!? Joss you cruel cruel geek god you!!

well enough of my dramatics. I'd like to see something not from the main saga era....maybe the formation of the jedi order or golden age of the sith...but probs wont :(

Rule of the Empire, Rule of the Sith, Birth of the Rebellion, Everything that happens between Episode III & IV. Ahsoka Tano Vs. Darth Vader, Assaji Ventress Vs. Darth Vader, Obi-Won Kenobi and his new Padwan Assaji Ventress, Darth Maul and Savage Opress Vs. Everyone, The Republic Senate & Bail Organa Vs. The Emperor, Teen-age Han Solo, Teen-age Boba Fett, Chewbacca and the Wookies, The Hunt for Yoda, The Regret of Cody & Rex, Wedge Antilles & His New Droids. There is so many good stories to be told, I'm excited.

Why must Cartoon Network lose everything I love? I had hoped Disney/Lucasarts and Warner Bros could compromise on this....

@guttridgeb said:

As much as I don't want to see this stop, I'd love this to be replaced by an new series in the Rebellion era.

You sure it's going to be the Rebllion era? Don't get me wrong, I would love to see that as well!

Wonderful clip, really want to see the continuation of what just happened. As for a new series, I would love to see an Old Republic cartoon.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series... cancelled

Young Justice ... cancelled

Spectactular Spiderman ... cancelled

Wolverine and the XMen ... cancelled

Avengers: EMH ... cancelled

Transformers Prime ... cancelled

This ... cancelled

Why do the smart sophisticated shows that we like because they are mature and have good story telling and characters get cancelled and crap like ultimate spiderman stays on!? WHY!?

@Trevel8182: Transformers Prime wasn't cancelled. At least I don't think it was.

Shame to see this go, I've just started to catch up with it to :/

Well at least this show is just going on a temporary hiatus with a promise of future episodes. Why can't Warner Bros follow suit and just keep Young Justice frozen in carbonite instead of cancelling it?

@Trevel8182 said:

Green Lantern: The Animated Series... cancelled

Young Justice ... cancelled

Spectactular Spiderman ... cancelled

Wolverine and the XMen ... cancelled

Avengers: EMH ... cancelled

Transformers Prime ... cancelled

This ... cancelled

Why do the smart sophisticated shows that we like because they are mature and have good story telling and characters get cancelled and crap like ultimate spiderman stays on!? WHY!?

Answer: Greedy bastards who care more about merchandising than good content on tv.

This is nothing new. They told us years ago before the first episode even came out the series was going to last five years. We knew before it started it was going to be over after 5 seasons.

@CaptainUseless

I think he meant Transformers Prime season 3 which has been announced as the Final Season. It's airing on March 22.

@iceslick: Oh ok, I thought he meant that there wasn't going to be a season 3.

@StMichalofWilson said:

@guttridgeb said:

As much as I don't want to see this stop, I'd love this to be replaced by an new series in the Rebellion era.

You sure it's going to be the Rebllion era? Don't get me wrong, I would love to see that as well!

This is just what I would like to happen, as far as I know nothing like this has been confirmed.

... Now, you will pay the price for your lack of vision!!

As long as we get to see the the current storylines, such as the one involving Darth Maul, get the closures they deserve I'll be happy if they want to start winding down the show. This war could only go on for so long and I'd rather they close things out and tie it into what happens in Episode III rather than drag the series out for the sake of dragging it out.
 
But the fact that they're already planning of replacing the series with a new one makes me less worried. Hopefully they'll continue with the same animation with the new series.

@Trevel8182: Hopefully since Prime knows this is the last season there will be some sort of resolution but yeah all these great shows being cancelled has this animation enthusiast bummed.

Why is everything I love coming to an end?

@Trevel8182 said:

Green Lantern: The Animated Series... cancelled

Young Justice ... cancelled

Spectactular Spiderman ... cancelled

Wolverine and the XMen ... cancelled

Avengers: EMH ... cancelled

Transformers Prime ... cancelled

This ... cancelled

Why do the smart sophisticated shows that we like because they are mature and have good story telling and characters get cancelled and crap like ultimate spiderman stays on!? WHY!?

Because the companies don't care about people like us who enjoy quality programming. The only thing I have left to look forward to is Legend of Korra, the new TMNT series, and surprisingly enough Ben 10: Omniverse. This is so lame all the decisions Lucas has made. I even wrote a song about it.

That's too bad, I thought Disney was doing another season.  But I really liked the season finale, it had some real emotion and meaningful change.  I'd be interested to see any Order 66-themed stuff, but really also any other Star Wars time period as episodic TV.

Yeah, its about time that this wind down. there's only so much that can be said before the Clone Wars come to an end. Kinda sad about the delay of Detours, but hey, guess it has to be done, right?

Can't wait to see what happens to Ahsoka.

@Trevel8182 said:

Why do the smart sophisticated shows that we like because they are mature and have good story telling and characters get cancelled and crap like ultimate spiderman stays on!? WHY!?

"Creative" does not mean "crap"!!! Why is it every time they take a franchise in a remotely new direction, people just talk shit about it?

@Trevel8182 said:

Green Lantern: The Animated Series... cancelled

Young Justice ... cancelled

Spectactular Spiderman ... cancelled

Wolverine and the XMen ... cancelled

Avengers: EMH ... cancelled

Transformers Prime ... cancelled

This ... cancelled

Why do the smart sophisticated shows that we like because they are mature and have good story telling and characters get cancelled and crap like ultimate spiderman stays on!? WHY!?

QFT

including the actually well animated cartoon and this cheap attempt at those shorts' greatness, this show has being going since i was 10..