LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Force may soon be coming to a television near you. George Lucas is planning a live-action television series spinoff of the ''Star Wars'' film franchise.

Lucas told The Los Angeles Times he has ''just begun work'' on the series, which will not include the films' major characters Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader.

''The Skywalkers aren't in it, and it's about minor characters,'' Lucas told the Times on Tuesday.

Lucas wouldn't reveal details, but joked that the series would be about ''the life of robots.''

Lucas, 63, already has another television series in the works. Lucasfilm Animation has been working for months on the computer-animated ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars.''

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