Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones

Set a decade after the events in The Phantom Menace, the Galactic Republic faces a critical juncture. A Separatist movement, spearheaded by the former Jedi Master Count Dooku, also known as the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, is disrupting the peace. This crisis prompts the Galactic Senate to consider a Military Creation Act to establish a standing army for the Republic's defense. Senator Padmé Amidala, previously the Queen of Naboo, intends to oppose the Act upon her return to the Senate, despite a dwindling number of Jedi available to maintain order in the galaxy.

Upon her arrival on Coruscant, she survives an assassination attempt that results in the death of her decoy, Cordé. Consequently, Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine orders Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, to safeguard her.

That night, the assassin Zam Wesell again tries to murder Amidala, but the Jedi thwart her plan. They chase her through Galactic City, eventually subduing her at the Outlander Club. As Obi-Wan and Anakin question her outside the bar, she is fatally shot with a saberdart by an enigmatic figure before she can reveal who hired her. Returning to the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan is instructed by the council to find the assassin's employer. Meanwhile, Anakin is assigned to protect the Senator and escort her back to Naboo. Anakin is pleased with this assignment because he is often irritated by Obi-Wan's criticism and welcomes the opportunity to be independent. Furthermore, he has developed feelings for Padmé and looks forward to spending time with her. Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks takes over Amidala's responsibilities in her absence, even though the Senator is upset about missing the Senate vote on the fate of the Military Creation Act.

During his investigation, Obi-Wan discovers a mysterious planet named Kamino, absent from the Jedi Archives, where a secret clone army is being created for the Republic. Prime Minister Lama Su informs him that the army was commissioned nearly ten years prior by the Jedi Master [Sifo-Dyas](/article/sifo-dyas], although Obi-Wan believed Sifo-Dyas had died before that time. A bounty hunter named Jango Fett was chosen as the genetic template for the clones. Obi-Wan encounters Jango on Kamino and suspects him of being the assassin he is pursuing. When Obi-Wan attempts to apprehend Jango, a fierce battle ensues. Jango uses his blasters and missile equipment, ultimately defeating Obi-Wan by sending him plummeting into the sea below. Believing Obi-Wan is dead, Jango leaves Kamino with his son Boba. Unable to capture Jango, Obi-Wan attaches a homing beacon to his ship, Slave I, and follows him to the planet Geonosis.

In the meantime, Anakin and Padmé spend a considerable amount of time together on Naboo, enjoying each other's company and playing in the fields. Eventually, Anakin confesses his deep affection for her, promising to fulfill any request she makes. However, Padmé resists, explaining that a relationship between them is impossible because she is a Senator and he is a Jedi. Anakin is angered by her rejection and struggles with his strong feelings for her and his Jedi duties.

Anakin is also troubled by a premonition that his mother is in danger, so he asks Padmé to accompany him to his home planet of Tatooine, disobeying Obi-Wan's orders to stay on Naboo. Upon arrival, Anakin locates his former owner Watto, who tells him that his mother has married a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars. They travel to the Lars moisture farm, where Anakin and Padmé find C-3PO, who introduces Anakin to his step-brother Owen. Cliegg reveals that his mother was kidnapped a month earlier by Tusken Raiders. Anakin searches through the night and discovers her tied up and beaten in a Tusken camp. She dies in his arms. Enraged and heartbroken, he slaughters the entire Tusken community, including men, women, and children. On Coruscant, Yoda senses a dark disturbance in the Force as the massacre occurs (Qui-Gon Jinn's voice shouts "Anakin, Anakin, no!" during this scene). Anakin brings his mother's body back to the homestead, where her funeral is held.

On Geonosis, Obi-Wan overhears a meeting between Count Dooku and the leaders of the commerce guilds and learns that they are behind the separatist movement and have constructed a new droid army. He also learns that Nute Gunray ordered Amidala's assassination to avenge the Trade Federation's defeat at the Battle of Naboo. Obi-Wan transmits his findings to the Jedi Council via Anakin and Padmé's ship, but he is surrounded by droidekas and captured before finishing his report.

Now aware of Dooku's army, Jedi Master Mace Windu leads a battalion of Jedi to Geonosis. Unbeknownst to them, Anakin and Padmé also travel there to rescue Obi-Wan. Meanwhile, Representative Binks urges Chancellor Palpatine to be granted emergency powers, allowing him to deploy the newly discovered clone army into battle.

On Geonosis, Count Dooku attempts to recruit Obi-Wan, pointing out that he was once Qui-Gon's master, that Qui-Gon, if alive, would have joined Dooku and that the Republic and Jedi have lost their way and must be opposed. Obi-Wan refuses, asserting that Dooku is mistaken about the Republic and Jedi and that Qui-Gon would never have joined Dooku. Anakin and Padmé arrive but are quickly captured by Jango Fett and sentenced to death, joining Obi-Wan in the Geonosis arena for execution. Before heading outside, Padmé and Anakin declare their love for each other. Count Dooku, Nute Gunray, Rune Haako, Poggle the Lesser, Jango Fett, and Boba Fett watch the beginning of the planned execution from the stands. The trio are forced to fight a reek, a nexu, and an acklay while chained. Mace Windu arrives with his Jedi strike team, and they battle Dooku's droid army in the arena. Seeing so many Jedi in one location, Jango Fett flies down to the arena floor and fights Windu. Windu kills Jango after a brief struggle because Jango's jetpack malfunctions. Although the Jedi fight valiantly, they are eventually overwhelmed by the Droid Army's superior numbers and appear to be losing. Yoda arrives unexpectedly with the Republic's new clone army, but few Jedi have survived.

A larger battle breaks out outside the arena between the Republic's clone army and the Confederacy of Independent Systems' Droid Army. Nute Gunray and Rune Haako flee in Gunray's ship. The Clone Army gains the advantage, causing the Droid Army to retreat. Poggle the Lesser gives Count Dooku the early designs for the Death Star. Dooku tries to escape, but Obi-Wan and Anakin follow him to a secret hangar. Anakin immediately disobeys Obi-Wan's orders to attack Dooku together and charges at Dooku, who uses Force lightning to knock Anakin unconscious against some rocks. Obi-Wan cautiously circles Dooku, who claims his powers are too great for Obi-Wan and then shoots Force lightning at him. Obi-Wan blocks it with his lightsaber, disagreeing with Dooku as Dooku ignites his curved hilted crimson red lightsaber. Obi-Wan rushes at Dooku, engaging him in a lightsaber duel. Despite Obi-Wan's power, Dooku defeats him, mocking him that Master Yoda praises Obi-Wan greatly and that he is disappointed in Obi-Wan's lack of skill. The battle lasts about half a minute before Obi-Wan is defeated. Dooku swings his blade high over his head and brings it down as Anakin, who had just awoken from being tossed to the rocks, leaped foward and blocked Dooku's killing strike on Obi-Wan, engaging Dooku, who toyed with him for several minutes before slicing off Anakin's right hand and force pushing it to the ground next to the defeated Obi-Wan. Dooku puts away his lightsaber. Yoda appears just as Dooku is about to escape, and the two masters of the Force engage in a fierce battle of the force and then a lightsaber duel with Yoda using his acrobatic style and Dooku using his elegant style. Dooku, realizing he cannot win, attempts to drop a large pillar on Obi-Wan and Anakin as a diversion. While Yoda uses the Force to stop the pillar, Dooku escapes in his solar sailer. He flies to the Works in the Industrial sector of Coruscant, where he meets his master, Darth Sidious, who is happy that the war has started as planned.

In the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda discuss Dooku's warning that Darth Sidious is controlling the Senate. Yoda is reluctant to believe it, saying that the dark side can create fear and mistrust. He and Windu agree that they should monitor the Senate closely. Meanwhile, Chancellor Palpatine and several senators, including Bail Organa, oversee the deployment of massive clone trooper forces.

Back on Naboo, Anakin, now with a new mechanical arm, and Padmé have a secret wedding, with C-3PO and R2-D2 as the only witnesses.

John Knoll told Star Wars Insider that the biggest challenge his team faced when production started on Attack of the Clones was adapting to digital cameras. However, Knoll realized the advantage of digital cameras, which could immediately play back footage whenever the team wished, and he greatly enjoyed shooting with them. In a 2005 interview with Temuera Morrison on The Tem Show, Rick McCallum mentioned that New Zealand was originally considered as a filming location before Australia, but the The Lord of the Rings films were being filmed in New Zealand at the same time, which created complications. Although filming in New Zealand was problematic, Lucasfilm Ltd. casting directors still traveled around the country, selecting several actors, including Bodie Taylor and Daniel Logan.

In December 2001, rumors circulated that members of *NSYNC had been filmed as extras in Attack of the Clones. The story gained traction in the following days, with reports that producer Rick McCallum had given three band members—Joey Fatone, JC Chasez, and Chris Kirkpatrick—roles as Jedi and Naboo citizens. Lucasfilm later confirmed the news but denied rumors that George Lucas had done it as a favor to his daughters Katie and Amanda, who were fans of the band. Justin Timberlake also stated that he and Lance Bass were not involved, but that Joey Fatone's brother Steven Fatone was. Many Star Wars fans reacted negatively, viewing this incident as further evidence of Star Wars "selling out," similar to their reactions to Jar Jar Binks or the Ewoks. On January 12, 2002, a Saturday Night Live sketch featured a satirical "first look" at Attack of the Clones, where the movie stopped for *NSYNC to perform a song called "I'm a Jedi Knight in these Jedi Days." Joey Fatone later announced that the singers' parts had been removed from the film due to the negative fan response. However, Lucasfilm's Lynne Hale denied this, stating that it was up to Lucas and that "the final edit of the film is what he determines it will be."

Leading up to the release, Lucasfilm launched another series of web documentaries and experimented with promotional tools, including Episode II Select and Ahmed Best's on-set videos. On May 11, 2002, TV Guide released three different covers to promote the film.

Sony released the film's soundtrack on April 23, 2002.

R. A. Salvatore wrote a book version of the movie, which includes scenes created by Salvatore that are unique to the novel. The book's prologue describes Anakin having a nightmare of his mother turning into glass and shattering while flying to Ansion with Obi-Wan. The following pages detail the events leading up to Shmi Skywalker's capture by Tusken Raiders and Cliegg Lars's loss of his leg while trying to rescue her. These scenes provide more insight into Shmi's life on the moisture farm and her relationships with Cliegg, Owen, Beru, and C-3PO than the film does. Interspersed are scenes of Senator Amidala on Naboo before leaving for Coruscant to vote on the Military Creation Act. She discusses retiring from politics to start a family with her sister and receives reports about the unrest (briefly mentioned in the film) among spice miners on Naboo's moons. The book also explores the father-son relationship between Jango and Boba Fett more deeply than the film, making Jango's death more emotionally impactful. (However, the book contains inaccuracies concerning Jango, such as referring to his armor as gray when it is actually white with blue accents.) The first of the Boba Fett series of young adult novels uses this material.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones was released on VHS and DVD on November 12, 2002. The VHS included six deleted scenes and a segment of Star Wars: Connections. Attack of the Clones was the final Star Wars VHS release in the United States, making it impossible to obtain a complete VHS set for the Prequel Trilogy since there was no VHS for Revenge of the Sith (though Revenge of the Sith was released on VHS in other countries like the UK and Australia). The DVD contains elements that were edited or added by George Lucas, making it a slightly different version from the theatrical release.

• Disc 1 DVD Menu themes based on planets from the movie: Coruscant, Kamino, and Geonosis Available subtitles: English Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) Commentary by writer-director George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, animation director Rob Coleman, and ILM visual effects supervisors John Knoll, Roger Guyett, and sound designer Ben Burtt DVD Credits with Blooper reels DVD-ROM content including website archive of HoloNet News[15]

• Disc 2 Main DVD Menu's theme is based on the Jedi Library Eight exclusive deleted scenes with introductions of George Lucas, Rick McCallum, and Ben Burtt "From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in Episode II": all-new full-length documentary about the creation of digital characters in Episode II "State of the Art: The Previsualization of Episode II": witness the vital role of the animatics team "Films Are Not Released: They Escape" sound documentary Three featurettes examining the story line, action scenes, and love story through behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and filmmakers 12-part Web documentary "Across the Stars" music video: an original composition by John Williams crafted exclusively for this DVD Exclusive production photos One-sheet posters International outdoor campaign Trailers and TV spots "R2-D2: Beneath the Dome" mockumentary trailer ILM visual effects breakdown montage Exclusive DVD-ROM content Production photo gallery College Want Ads Campaign gallery Easter egg (enhanced DVD-ROM multimedia content when you click on the weblinks of any of the posters in the image gallery, featuring downloadable wallpapers and messenger icons)[15] DVD-ROM content includes a free trial of Hyperspace

The film was released on Blu-ray in September 2011.

On April 7, 2015, the Walt Disney Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Lucasfilm jointly announced the digital releases of the six released Star Wars films. As Lucasfilm had retained digital distribution rights to Episodes I through III and V through VI, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Attack of the Clones for digital download on April 10, 2015.

Despite the Walt Disney Company's 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the release rights to all future Star Wars films, Fox was to retain original distribution rights to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which they co-produced and co-financed, in perpetuity in all media worldwide. Fox was also to retain theatrical, nontheatrical, and home video rights worldwide for the franchise's five subsequent films, which Lucasfilm produced and financed independently, through May 2020, at which time ownership was to transfer to Disney. This complex relationship between Fox and Disney, particularly in regards to Fox's perpetual rights to Episode IV, was to create an obstacle for any future boxed set comprising all nine films. On December 14, 2017, The Walt Disney Company announced that it was acquiring most of Fox's parent company, 21st Century Fox, including the film studio and all distribution rights to A New Hope. On March 20, 2019, the deal was officially completed. On April 12, 2019, a Blu-ray box set containing the nine main instalments of the Star Wars saga remastered in 4K was reportedly announced to be in development for a 2020 release.