The rebellion against the empire will continue next year. Disney XD has officially announced the renewal of Star Wars Rebels for a third season.

Because of the large lead time required in animation, the third season of Star Wars Rebels is already in production and it will return to Disney XD in 2016. Additionally, new episodes of the current season of Star Wars Rebels will also air in 2016, which means that the gap between seasons won’t be too extreme.

“We are proud to bring our audience a third season of Star Wars Rebels, a series that has resonated across generations.” said Disney XD’s Marc Buhaj, “The creative team behind the series continues to do a brilliant job in delivering on the key tenets that fans have come to expect from a Star Wars property, including adventure, hope and the battle between good vs. evil.”

The renewal was not remotely a surprise, considering the fact that Star Wars Rebels is one of Disney XD’s most popular series, with a significant adult fanbase as well. The episode count for the third season was not included in the announcement. All we know for sure comes from the following statement included in the press release: “Season Three will see our Rebel heroes face new obstacles and find new allies in their fight against the Empire.”

Star Wars Rebels takes place roughly 14 years after Revenge of the Sith and about five years before the original Star Wars movie. The second season of Star Wars Rebels has brought in James Earl Jones to reprise his role as Darth Vader on a recurring basis, with Star Wars: The Clone Wars veterans Ashley Eckstein and Dee Bradley Baker reprising their roles as Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex, respectively.

Three additional episodes of Star Wars Rebels will be broadcast in 2015, including a new episode this Wednesday night on Disney XD.

Star Wars fans, are you excited to hear about the renewal of Star Wars Rebels? Which classic characters do you want to see in season 3? Let us know in the comments below!

—

Image Credit: Disney XD/Lucasfilm