Animated 'Star Wars' show heads to Disney
The red-and-black baddie with the double-bladed lightsaber is back, and this time, it's personal and animated. Disney+ just dropped the mother of all mic drops at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo: a brand-new Darth Maul series is coming in 2026, and yes, Sam Witwer is once again lending his vocal cords to the galaxy's angriest Zabrak.
Titled Maul - Shadow Lord, the show promises a deeper dive into the psyche (and trauma) of the Sith who simply refuses to die. The reveal came during a Lucasfilm Animation panel that celebrated 20 years of animated storytelling, as reported by Variety. A special retrospective video concluded with what appeared to be the first official footage from the new Maul series, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Athena Portillo, Lucasfilm's VP of Animation, said fans can expect to learn "a lot" about Maul. She confirmed that Witwer is involved not just as a voice actor but also as a creative contributor, reviewing scripts and offering input on the character's development. "Dave Filoni and Sam created the character for animation," Portillo said, "so it's very important to hear his thoughts as well for the character depth."
Witwer revealed that the series is set "about a year" after the events of The Clone Wars, with Maul "dusting himself off" after his showdown with Ahsoka. The timeline places it just before his appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story, hinting that the show may bridge that narrative gap. Witwer also teased that the series explores "different traits" in Maul, ones fans might not expect, but which align with everything the character has endured.
No release date or episode count has been confirmed yet.
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