Not to be overshadowed by today’s Oscar nominations announcements and the release of the Masters of the Universe trailer, Disney+ and Lucasfilm are here to give Star Wars fans something they’ve been clamoring for since 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace: more Darth Maul! Today, Disney+ debuted a trailer for the all-new animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, premiering on the mouse-eared streaming service on April 6, 2026.
Two episodes will premiere each week, with the final two airing on the ultimate Star Wars holiday, May the 4th. Set after the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this pulpy adventure finds Maul plotting to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire. There, he crosses paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan who could be the apprentice he is seeking to aid him in his relentless pursuit of revenge.
Who are the creative forces behind Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord?
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord was created by Dave Filoni, based on Star Wars and characters created by George Lucas. Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz developed the series. Brad Rau is the supervising director. The executive producers are Dave Filoni, Athena Yvette Portillo, Matt Michnovetz, Brad Rau, Carrie Beck, and Josh Rimes. Alex Spotswood is the co-executive producer. The voice cast includes Sam Witwer as Maul, Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Oscar nominee Wagner Moura as Brander Lawson, Richard Ayoade as Two-Boots, Dennis Haysbert as Master Eeko-Dio-Daki, Chris Diamantopoulos as Looti Vario, Charlie Bushnell as Rylee Lawson, Vanessa Marshall as Rook Kast, David C. Collins as Spybot, A.J. LoCascio as Marrok, and Steve Blum as Icarus.
Not really feeling the Force
I don’t know, folks. Between Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord and Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, I’m finding it challenging to get excited about upcoming Star Wars-related projects. I definitely have Star Wars fatigue. I’m not going to deny that. Still, I question the general direction of the franchise, the Disneyfication of it all, and whether people are genuinely excited about the lineup, or simply taking what the studio feeds them. I can already hear people shouting at me, saying I’m trying to poop the party, but this world used to be my jam. At any rate, Maul does look action-packed, darker than traditional Star Wars fare, and the potential for surprises is undoubtedly here. I may need more faith in the Force, or a punch to the face. Either way, I’m excited for people looking forward to spending more time with one of the Star Wars franchise’s most underutilized villains.
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