Star Wars has never been afraid to venture into dark territory — it’s always been a part of the franchise’s genetic makeup. Since its inception in 1977 with A New Hope, it’s tempted some of its most iconic heroes with the dark side, from Luke Skywalker to Rey.
It’s given us some truly tragic storylines, such as Anakin’s fall and Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith. And it’s introduced some of the most twisted villains like the Emperor and Maul.
But while there has been plenty of darkness, Disney+ live-action shows have generally leaned toward light-hearted adventures with the likes of The Mandalorian and Skeleton Crew — at least in its live-action shows (with Andor being the only exception to that rule).
The animated side of the faraway galaxy, however, whether The Clone Wars or the Tales of anthology series, are no stranger to the dark side. And now, that trend is set to continue in the upcoming series Maul — Shadow Lord.
Announced by actor Sam Witwer, who voiced Maul in The Clone Wars and Rebels, on stage at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo, Shadow Lord takes place “after the Clone Wars” to find the disgraced Sith Lord plotting “to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire,” according to StarWars.com.
Check out the initial teaser below, which shows Maul in an ominous silhouette form:
Maul: Shadow Lord (2026)#StarWarsCelebrationJapan #SWCJ pic.twitter.com/423nKYQNqT
— Jorge Carrón (@_jcarron) April 18, 2025
Now, the first official trailer for the upcoming series has premiered online:
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Shadow Lord looks to be the darkest Star Wars series yet — hardly surprising given who its central character is. It also marks Maul’s first return to the screen since the final season of The Clone Wars, in which he flees into the unknown during the chaos caused by Order 66.
While the series appears to be using an animation style somewhat similar to The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, and Tales of, it also has its own distinct look and feel.
According to Witwer, the new visual style is still rooted in the world of The Clone Wars but is also “more edgy and jagged and dangerous” to reflect Maul’s dark perspective. He told CinemaBlend last year that Maul – Shadow Lord will embrace “a little bit more extreme.”
Shadow Lord will premiere on Disney+ on April 6.
Ahead of the series, Marvel Comics will release a story in March titled “Shadow of Maul”, a five-issue prequel series by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Madibek Musabekov.
Are you excited about these new stories centered on Maul? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below!
