MUMBAI: Star Wars creator George Lucas has agreed to write 100 one-hour episodes for television to be shown in 3D.

The series is being produced by Rick McCullum and is expected to spark a big-money bidding war between the BBC and ITV, reports said.

"Writers will soon start work to prepare for filming and release in 2008, said McCallum adding, " The series will introduce "a whole bunch of new characters" and be "much more dramatic and darker". George Lucas has committed himself to writing the Star Wars TV series. It'll all be new because the originals will be too old."

They will fill in the missing years between 2005's prequel, Revenge Of The Sith, and original film Star Wars, made in 1977. The TV series will focus on the rise of Darth Vader's dark empire and will feature original actor Anthony Daniels, who played robot C-3P0.

The Star Wars films are among the most popular ever made and tell the story of the descent into evil of Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker and his redemption by son, Luke.