MUMBAI: Disney and its subsidiary LucasFilm have announced that production has begun on ?Star Wars Rebels?, an animated television series. Scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special on Disney Channel, it will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

Disney Channels Worldwide president and chief creative officer Gary Marsh said, "The entire team at Lucasfilm has provided extraordinary creativity and innovation for over three decades, and we?re thrilled to be bringing the expansive and imaginative world of Star Wars to Disney XD?s viewers."

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said, "I couldn?t be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe. I think ?Star Wars Rebels? will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars."

The series is set between the events of Episode III and IV -- an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. ?Star Wars Rebels? takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape. Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point adds Disney.

?Star Wars Rebels? will be produced by Lucasfilm Animation, featuring many of the key talents that made the earlier show ?Star Wars: The Clone Wars?.

As far as the big screen is concerned Disney plans to make three Star Wars films. The first one releases in 2015.

Mumbai: Adam Bonnett, the man behind some of Disney?s most popular kid shows - ?The Suite Life of Zack and Cody?, ?Wizards of Waverly Place? and ?Hannah Montana?, has been promoted to the newly created position of EVP original programming at Disney Channels Worldwide.

Bonnett who was most recently serving as SVP original programming of Disney Channel, leads the development team of original series like ?Best of Luck Charlie?, ?Austen and Ally? and has also led the development of Disney Channel original movies- ?Teen Beech Movie? and ?Cloud 9?.

He will continue to oversee all live action development and current original series and movies for Disney Channel and Disney XD as well as casting and talent relations for those channels. He will be reporting to Disney Channels Worldwide president and chief creative officer Gary Marsh.

Talking about Bonnett, Marsh said, "Adam is an extraordinarily talented executive who brilliantly blends great storytelling with great comedy and in doing so, has helped create the #1 kids network on television."

Bonnett joined Disney in 1997 and has ever since been the brain behind some of the most successful original series in the kid segment.

This promotion follows the high ratings of 2012 when Disney beat Nickelodeon in Total Day as the top ranked channel among kids 2-11. Nickelodeon had been leading since the past 17 years and hence, Disney?s feat was much applauded.

Bonnett has also developed the channel?s latest series ?Dog with a Blog? and will follow it up with upcoming series like ?Liv and Madie?.