The new “Clone Wars” film certainly contains all of the characters, lightsaber sounds, and John Williams music as the previous trilogy, but according to David Filoni the director, what it lacks is that movie’s darker tone. Instead, the goal is to make it more like the original trilogy, filled with swashbuckling fun and a sense of humor.

“Telling that dark story of Anakin Skywalker was important for George, but this was a chance to show Anakin before that. Anakin as a hero, Anakin as the good guy, Anakin more like his son,” Luke Skywalker, of the original trilogy.

To that end, Anakin has been retooled into a hybrid of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, who exchanges witty banter with old favorites like Obi Wan, as well as new characters like Ahsoka, Anakin’s new apprentice, Jabba’s sinister uncle, or the wide variety of Clone Soldiers that are in the film.

And the film certainly features distinct visuals, a style that is a combination of japanese animation and the old “Thunderbirds” TV show that gives it a painterly aspect. However, there is nothing to fear.

“A lot of people have said to me that have seen it _ well, the few people that have seen it at this point _ that they feel like they’re watching `Star Wars,’” Filoni said. “They feel like they’re seeing those characters again. Even though we’ve done this style that’s painterly, if you want to call it that, it’s still `Star Wars.’”