Don't put away those lightsabers just yet: A new "Star Wars" animated feature film is set debut in theaters this summer -- and that's only the beginning.

"Star Wars" creator George Lucas' Lucasfilm Ltd., Warner Bros. Pictures and Turner Broadcasting announced Wednesday that "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," a feature-length computer animated film will open Aug. 15. It's the first salvo in next generation of the "Star Wars" saga, as the adventures are set to continue on the Cartoon Network in the fall. Airings on TNT will come after.

"I felt there were a lot more 'Star Wars' stories left to tell," said Lucas, who will executive produce "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." "I was eager to start telling some of them through animation and, at the same time, push the art of animation forward."

The film will be distributed in North American theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures, with foreign dates to follow.

"This is a breakthrough project -- returning 'Star Wars' to the big screen in a completely new way while beginning an exciting new chapter in George Lucas' legendary saga," said Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures' President of Domestic Distribution. "We immediately felt that it would be a fantastic theatrical event and are thrilled to be bringing it to moviegoers."

The new feature and subsequent television series will showcase "an entirely new look and feel to the galaxy far, far away -- combining the expansive scope of the 'Star Wars' saga with state-of-the-art computer-generated animation," according to Lucasfilm. "Each week, viewers will see a thrilling, 30-minute 'mini-movie' created by the talented artists at Lucasfilm Animation.

"The Clone Wars" will concentrate on the intergalactic struggle between good and evil, featuring such characters as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala. Brand-new heroes will include Anakin's padawan learner, Ahsoka.

On the Dark Side, the sinister villains poised to rule the galaxy include Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous.

Lucasfilm, which has created 30 all-new episodes of "The Clone Wars" producing more, is exicited over the possibilities.

"Warner Bros. and Turner are uniquely positioned to deliver on the enormous potential of 'The Clone Wars' because together they offer a world-class opportunity: The theatrical and home-video distribution of Warner Bros. and the broad reach of the Turner Networks," said Micheline Chau, President and Chief Operating Officer of Lucasfilm Ltd.

The first in a planned series of special Web-only documentaries that chronicle the development of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars"also debuted Wednesday on the official "Star Wars" Web site.