Animation has long been where Star Wars has taken its biggest risks. Shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels reshaped major parts of wider franchise canon, while projects such as Resistance, Tales of the Jedi, Tales of the Empire, and Visions explored corners of the galaxy that live-action rarely touches.
This year, Lucasfilm will continue that approach, with more animated stories on the way, including Star Wars Visions Presents: The Ninth Jedi.
That legacy of experimentation has often leaned into darker material, particularly when animation allows the franchise to move beyond traditional hero-driven storytelling.
Few characters embody that darker edge more than Maul (formerly Darth Maul), whose survival and transformation after the prequel trilogy’s The Phantom Menace (1999) became one of the most significant arcs in The Clone Wars.
Now, after a long absence, Maul is set to take center stage once again in Maul – Shadow Lord, a new animated series heading to Disney+ later this year. The first full trailer for the series has now premiered online, following an initial teaser revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Tokyo. Watch it below:
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First announced on stage by Maul voice actor Sam Witwer, Shadow Lord takes place “after the Clone Wars” and finds Maul plotting “to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire,” according to StarWars.com.
The animation style is rooted in The Clone Wars era, but with some big changes. Witwer previously told CinemaBlend that the show would feel “more edgy and jagged and dangerous,” saying it would be “a little bit more extreme” to reflect Maul’s perspective.
The series marks Maul’s first on-screen appearance since The Clone Wars Season 7, where he fled during Order 66.
To further flesh out that gap, Marvel Comics will release Shadow of Maul, a five-issue prequel written by Benjamin Percy with art by Madibek Musabekov, beginning in March.
With Shadow Lord and The Ninth Jedi both on the horizon, animation remains one of Star Wars’ most flexible—and darkest—storytelling spaces.
Shadow Lord will premiere on Disney+ on April 6.
Are you excited about these new stories centered on Maul? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below!
