By Tara DiLullo Bennett
George Lucas is expanding his Star Wars empire this August with the release of the computer animated film, 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars', in theaters and then with a new computer animated series that will air on The Cartoon Network. Not surprising for Lucas Film, the merchandising monster has already started as tons of new tie-in toys and collectibles debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York City this week. FEARnet spoke to some of the key licensing partners and used some Jedi mind tricks to get them to reveal their secrets.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Gallery

Hasbro

Inside the Lucas room at Hasbro, a representative explained an entire wall of new products coming for 'The Clone Wars'. "The 3 and 1/2 inch action figures include established characters such as Anakin and Obi Wan Kenobi and the introduction of new characters like Ahsoka, who is a Padawan learner to Anakin. She is a character we have never seen before. There are new characters like Captain Rex, who is one of the new Clone Troopers. There are also vehicles right from the series with sounds, projectiles and lots of places to put Clone Troopers. There's also role playing pieces too so with the Clone Trooper helmut it allows you to be a trooper taking orders or be a commander giving orders with the sound generator, and it also allows you to change your voice to sound like a Trooper too. There's also an Ultimate Lightsaber, which allows you to create a lightsaber from the Clone Wars series, or there are 1,000 different combinations for someone to create their own lightsaber down to the color of the light blade. There is also the Legacy Collection of action figures that will include a 'Build a Droid' chaser, so there is a piece of a droid in each package that will build a droid not available in stories. And last year we had Darth Tater, but this year it's R2-Pota2, which is our new addition to the Mr. Potato Head line."

Lego

The block company will continue to support the 'Star Wars' franchise with five new building sets based on 'The Clone Wars.' The sets are: Anakin's Fighter, MagnaGuard Starfighter, V-19 Torrent, AT-TE Walker and the Republic Gunship. A Lego rep told FEARnet that, "We have done a Republic gunship before but there is a new one in the movie that has features that are different that fans will notice when the movie comes out." All the sets will include mini figures, like Anakin, R2D2 and clone troopers, but there will also be new characters like Ahoka, a baby Huttlet named Rotta, Plo Koon and Asajj Ventressa, the female Sith assassin with a double lighsaber. All the sets will come out in the summer with the release of the movie.

Sideshow Collectibles

One of the most respected and prolific 'Star Wars' collectible creators, Sideshow Collectibles had their own cyber Toy Fair this week where they introduced new licenses and figured including their Clone Wars General Obi Wan 12" figure. Bedecked in his traditional Jedi battle armor and sculpted to look like Ewan McGregor, this figure will be available for pre-order February 22.