A good movie preview can whet moviegoers? appetites and leave them salivating for opening day. The “Batman” trailer did it over a decade ago, as did other trailers for series franchises such “Star Trek,” “Jurassic Park” and Kevin Smith?s “View Askewniverse” series. No movie series, however, has had a following like George Lucas? “Star Wars,” for which the full-length trailer for the second chapter has finally been released.

Running two-and-a-half minutes long, the trailer for “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” premiered on the Fox network on March 10 between “Malcolm in the Middle” and “The X Files” and is featured with 20th Century Fox?s animated feature, “Ice Age.” It is also available for download on the Internet.

The preview starts with Chancellor Palpatine, (Ian McDiarmid, reprising his role from the previous films) who was elected as leader of the galactic Republic in 1999?s “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace,” meeting with the mystical, Force-weilding Jedi order ten years after the events of the last film to plan negotiations with the sinister Trade Federation. Mace Windu, a Jedi knight played by Samuel L. Jackson, tells Palpatine, “we are keepers of the peace, not soldiers.”

Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen of “Life as a House”), meanwhile, has been training for the past decade with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor of “Moulin Rouge”) to be a Jedi Knight. He?s become headstrong and ignorant, a wholly different persona from the little boy that Kenobi and his late mentor, Qui-Gon Jinn, discovered in the previous “Star Wars” film. Kenobi often reprimands him for his immature and reckless actions (he?s shown jumping from his space car in mid-air catching someone in freefall).

Unfortunately, Palpatine has taken an interest in this new and not-quite-improved Anakin. He praises the young man on his skill, calling him the “greatest of all Jedi,” and suggests that he no longer needs guidance. Kenobi, meanwhile, must deal with his protege?s wayward behavior and confront the warrior Jango Fett, who is leading an army of clones against the Republic.

In a Senate meeting with galactic government representatives, Palpatine decides to create a large army to fend off the clones (the new army looks suspiciously similar to the Storm Troopers of the classic “Star Wars” films, wink, wink). Kenobi is also approached by a mysterious figure who claims to have the key to defeating one of the Republic?s foes, the Sith, and order of evil Force-users.

Everyone is caught knee-deep in the new war, including Naboo Senator Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman of “Where the Heart Is”), another instrumental figure in the conflict between the Republic and the Federation. Loyalties are tested and new alliances are created, while the dark side of the Force rises to prominence in a crucial and shocking form.

The trailer is packed with enough plot, conflict, and drama to dwarf all of “Episode I.” This could be a far more interesting movie, especially with the budding relationship between Anakin and Amidala (which was implied in last fall?s “Episode II” teaser, but not featured at all in this lengthier trailer). Deception, romance, and mind-blowing action scenes make this a promising taste of things to come. Jimmy Smits (“NYPD Blue”) and Christopher Lee (“Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”) also make cameo appearances in the film.

If this new trailer is a good indication, “Star Wars: Episode II” will have everyone racing to theaters May 16 to see what will happen to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Padme Amidala and the rest of the “Star Wars” universe.