'Star Wars' creator readies 'Clone Wars'

University of Southern California alumnus George Lucas is shown with an artist's rendering of a new building at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, a result of a $175 million donation from the Lucasfilm Foundation, following groundbreaking ceremonies on the campus in Los Angeles, Oct. 4, 2006. [AP Photo]

Los Angeles - The wars aren't over for "Star Wars" creator George Lucas. Lucas said Wednesday he's making an animated TV series of "Clone Wars" that could air next year, although he hasn't sold the show to a network yet. The series is set during the time when the Republic is fighting a civil war against separatists led by Count Dooku.

The mythic period hasn't been dealt with too much in the popular "Star Wars" movies, so "it's a fun place to go," Lucas said.

"It basically has all the main characters" such as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lucas said, but the stars who played them in the movies won't voice them for the TV show.

"There's nobody famous," Lucas told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

The show is planned as a continuation of the Emmy-winning "Clone Wars" that aired in 25 episodes on the Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2005. That series used limited animation. The new version will use 3-D computer graphics.

It's one of many projects being pursued by Lucas, including a fourth "Indiana Jones" movie.

"We're working on it. We haven't agreed on a script yet," Lucas said.