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The Star Wars character Anakin Skywalker is shown in publicity photo from the upcoming animated feature "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" released to Reuters August 12, 2008. REUTERS/Lucasfilm Ltd/Handout

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Director Dave Filoni grew up playing "Star Wars" in his yard with a large collection of movie toys, but he never imagined he would one day help create the series' first animated film, "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

Filoni says that since he was a kid he has dreamt about the space adventures of characters such as Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi and working on the new "Stars Wars" with creator George Lucas was beyond anything he could have imagined.

But this new tale represents a shift in the stories that in six films, starting with 1977's "Star Wars," have raked in more than $4.3 billion at global box offices. It is expected to keep the "Star Wars" franchise flying into the future, and Filoni, 34, is the man with his hands on the spaceship's rudder.

For starters, "Clone Wars" is computer animated so actors such as Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) are not in the movie, and the film is meant to launch interest for an upcoming "Star Wars" television show on cable TV's TNT and Cartoon Network.

More important for fans, the story is not a repeat or sequel of any of the previous films that ended with 2005's "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."

"It's part of the story we know, but it's been in the background until now," said Filoni.

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars," tells of the galaxy-changing events that took place between 2002's "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" and "Episode III - Revenge of the Sith."

NEW TALES TO TELL

While the previous movies focused on the evolution of the Skywalker family -- Anakin and his son Luke -- the new animated film focuses on the three-year conflict between a Clone army and separatist group led by villain Count Dooku, Filoni said.

That conflict was only referenced in the earlier films, but ultimately leads to freedom for the galaxy after many battles among Jedi Knights, clone soldiers and androids.

"Clone Wars" also explores the people and political machinations of the time, and the plot sets up further conflict for the TV series, of which Filoni is a supervising director.

"You'll have individual episodes about different Jedi, specific events, different areas of the war, from the front lines with the soldiers," Filoni said about the TV series.

Both the film and TV shows will include favorite "Star Wars" heroes, such as Padme Amidala. The film also introduces Anakin's Padawan apprentice, the teenager Ahsoka, who breaks through Anakin's tough-guy facade, Filoni said.

The relationship between Anakin and Ahsoka shows a different side of the Jedi, who once was a good man much like his son, before he eventually became a dark knight.

Dooku, Chancellor Palpatine and General Grievous round out the cast of sinister villains poised to rule the galaxy.

A few actors from the movies are providing voices for the animated film including Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, Christopher Lee as Dooku and Anthony Daniels as C3PO.

Filoni, a veteran of TV series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and other cartoons, said the new, animated approach brings a fresh visual style to the "Star Wars" series.

Filoni said he drew upon original "Star Wars" for inspiration, as well as Japanese Anime and 1960s marionette TV series, "Thunderbirds."

Early reviews are mixed with critic Todd McCarthy of show business newspaper Daily Variety saying "This isn't the 'Star Wars' we've always known and at least sometimes loved."

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)