Lucasfilm announced today that the upcoming “Clone Wars” animated television series will kick off with a feature hitting theaters August 15, 2008. The series will then premiere on Cartoon Network and continue regular airings on TNT.

The series takes place during the Clone Wars, which falls between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, and will feature Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padme Amidala from the movies and new characters, such as Anakin’s padawan, Ahsoka.

Personally, I am very excited about this announcement. For months now, Lucasfilm has confirmed that they were working on the “Clone Wars” series at their facility in Singapore and suggested a late 2008 debut, but little more. Now, not only do we have confirmation that the series will air this fall, but we also get a feature film out of the deal too. For a Star Wars junkie like myself, this is awesome news. I really didn’t think that their would ever be another Star Wars film in theaters, but this opens the doors to all kinds of new possibilities.

Starwars.com has put up a nice video about the series that you should check out if you are interested.