Darth Maul Returns in Star Wars Animated Series Maul

The "Star Wars" universe continues to expand, and this time, one of the saga's most complex and enigmatic villains is stepping into the spotlight. Lucasfilm has officially announced "Maul - Shadow Lord", a brand-new animated series centered around Darth Maul, set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026. The reveal came during a special panel at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, and it brought with it a wave of excitement, especially with the confirmation that fan-favorite voice actor Sam Witwer is returning to reprise his role as the horned Sith Lord.

Witwer, who has become synonymous with Maul's voice, was present for the big announcement. He's voiced the character in multiple Star Wars projects, including "Star Wars: The Clone Wars", "Star Wars Rebels", and the live-action prequel film "Solo: A Star Wars Story".

The series was introduced during a panel celebrating two decades of Lucasfilm Animation. As part of the presentation, Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and Vice President of Animation Athena Portillo shared a special sneak peek with attendees. A commemorative video marking the animation studio's 20-year anniversary ended with what appeared to be a clip from "Maul - Shadow Lord", garnering cheers and applause from the audience.

While details about the plot remain tightly under wraps, Portillo did tease that fans will get to see a much deeper exploration of Maul's character than ever before.

"Unfortunately, I can't tell you too much, but what I can say is Sam Witwer's involvement in the show has been pristine. I'm very excited about him being able to review the scripts and provide input in all of that as well. 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," said Portillo.

Witwer himself shared some insight into where the story picks up in the timeline. According to the actor, the events of Maul - Shadow Lord are set roughly one year after the conclusion of The Clone Wars. The once-feared Sith is now grappling with his identity and direction following a crushing defeat at the hands of Ahsoka Tano.

"He's dusting himself off a bit," Witwer said, referencing the fallout from his last appearance. "Ahsoka kicked him to the curb."

But there's much more going on beneath the surface. Witwer hinted that the series will unearth surprising facets of Maul's personality and motivations. "We learn some different things about this character," he said. "He's got some different traits that you wouldn't necessarily think he has that make perfect sense from what he's been through."

Lucasfilm has yet to release an official trailer or confirm additional cast members. Stay tuned for more updates.