Star Wars announces Maul Shadow Lord animated series for Disney Plus with Sam Witwer returning
Lucasfilm has officially announced a new Star Wars animated series centered on Darth Maul, set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026. Titled Maul — Shadow Lord, the series will feature Sam Witwer reprising his role as the voice of the iconic Sith Lord. The announcement was made during Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, where Witwer joined Lucasfilm executives on stage to tease the upcoming project.
Witwer is well-known among fans for voicing Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
During the panel, Lucasfilm's chief creative officer Dave Filoni and vice president of animation Athena Portillo debuted a sneak peek at the series. The preview appeared at the end of a montage celebrating 20 years of Lucasfilm Animation and was met with loud applause from fans in attendance.
Portillo highlighted Witwer's deep involvement in shaping the series, noting that he has been reviewing scripts and offering input throughout the development process. 'Sam Witwer's involvement in the show has been pristine,' she said. 'Dave Filoni and Sam created the character for animation, and so it's very important to hear his thoughts as well for the character depth.'
Witwer shared that Maul — Shadow Lord is set about a year after The Clone Wars, as Maul recovers from his defeat by Ahsoka Tano. The story will explore new aspects of the character, revealing traits shaped by his turbulent past. 'We learn some different things about this character,' Witwer explained. 'He's got some different traits that you wouldn't necessarily think he has that make perfect sense from what he's been through.'
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