The next show from Lucasfilm Animation has been officially announced at Star Wars Celebration, as Maul – Shadow Lord will be coming to Disney+ in 2026.
The series centers on Maul, set around one year after the events of The Clone Wars, as he “plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.” In the footage from the series shown exclusively at the Lucasfilm Animation 20th Anniversary panel at Celebration Japan, Maul breaks a Twi’lek out of prison to become his new apprentice. Additionally, the Inquisitor Marrok (first seen in Ahsoka) engages Maul in a lightsaber duel.
Originally the Sith apprentice to Darth Sidious, Maul was cut in half – and thought to be killed – by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo in The Phantom Menace. He survived through his hatred, however, and in The Clone Wars returned bent on revenge. He assembled a significant criminal enterprise, a Shadow Collective that was an alliance between several prominent syndicates. Maul was subsequently defeated by Darth Sidious, only to escape and attempt to preserve his power. Ahsoka Tano led the Siege of Mandalore against Maul, and the former Sith was, once more, defeated. But in the wake of Order 66, he escaped. He would later assume leadership of the Crimson Dawn syndicate, as seen in Solo, but by the time of Rebels had been abandoned on Malachor. He tried to woo Ezra Bridger as his new apprentice, but was unsuccessful. In the process, though, he discovered that Obi-Wan Kenobi was still alive and traveled to Tatooine to confront his old rival. The old Jedi Master used Maul’s aggression against him, however, and finally killed the one-time Sith once and for all, burying Maul in the sands of the desert world.
This series will take place in-between The Clone Wars and Rebels, a time that hasn’t really been explored for Maul, but a time in which we know he’s involved in Crimson Dawn and the criminal underworld.
The series stars Sam Witer in his return to voice Maul, having voiced the character in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and more. Athena Portillo, VP of Animation Production at Lucasfilm, is involved as a producer, as is Matt Michnovetz as the head writer (he was the head writer for the final two seasons of The Clone Wars).
A brief glimpse at the series was included at the end of a really fun video reflecting on 20 years of Lucasfilm Animation.
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