Disney said on Monday it will produce a new Star Wars animated series to air on television in the fall 2014, giving fans of the science-fiction franchise fresh stories before the next live-action film hits theaters in 2015.

Star Wars Rebels, based on George Lucas' multibillion dollar film franchise, will be set in the two decades between the events of the third and fourth films, where the Empire becomes a dominant force in the galaxy, Disney said.

"I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars," Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, said in a statement.

The animated series, which will premiere on the Disney Channel and be shown across Disney XD channels world-wide, will come before the new Star Wars film.

Star Wars: Episode VII is the first of three new Star Wars films announced by Disney in October 2012, when it purchased Lucasfilm company for $4.05 billion.

Star Wars has become a cultural phenomenon since the first film was released in 1977, making characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Darth Vader, and phrases like "May the force be with you" part of popular culture.