Few characters in Star Wars have followed a darker path than Darth Maul. Introduced as a silent assassin in 1999’s The Phantom Menace (performed by Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz), the Sith Lord was later resurrected through animation in The Clone Wars and Rebels, where he became one of the franchise’s most complex and layered villains.
Now, the disgraced Sith is stepping into the spotlight again — but this time, things will look quite different than before. Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, an upcoming animated prequel series, will continue Maul’s arc following his appearances in The Clone Wars, focusing on his efforts to rebuild power in a galaxy rapidly falling under Imperial control.
The project was unveiled at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, Japan earlier this year, where attendees got to see a brief teaser that only hinted at the new look.
Maul: Shadow Lord (2026)#StarWarsCelebrationJapan #SWCJ pic.twitter.com/423nKYQNqT
— Jorge Carrón (@_jcarron) April 18, 2025
In a follow-up interview with CinemaBlend, actor Sam Witwer, who voiced Maul in The Clone Wars and Rebels and is returning to lend his vocal talents the character once again, spoke about the new series’ visual approach, saying that the animation style will be “a little bit more extreme” compared to Clone Wars and other shows such as The Bad Batch and the Tales Of anthology, describing it as “more edgy and jagged and dangerous.”
Now, during a review of their 2025 Star Wars content, Lucasfilm has fully confirmed (via StarWars.com) that the series will feature “a new style of animation,” signaling a break from the look that has defined Lucasfilm Animation projects for years.
Related: New Information Comes To Light About 2026 ‘Clone Wars’ Sequel Release | Disney Dining
The Maul story will also be expanded in print before the show’s release. Marvel Comics is set to publish “Star Wars: Shadow of Maul”, a five-issue prequel written by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Madibek Musabekov. The first issue is scheduled for release in March.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is currently slated to arrive on Disney+ in 2026.
Are you excited about these new stories centered on Maul? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below!
