Maul: Shadow Lord – A Dark New Chapter in the Star Wars Saga
With a velvety growl, Darth Maul invites you to explore a galaxy reshaped by the Empire in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord. The first teaser trailer and poster for this animated series have arrived, offering fans a first look at the world of Janix and the intricate machinations unfolding within the underworld during the early years of Emperor Palpatine’s reign.
Premiering on Disney+ with a two-episode launch on April 6, 2026, followed by two episodes each week culminating in a finale on Star Wars Day, May the 4th, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord picks up where Star Wars: The Clone Wars left off. This pulpy adventure finds Maul plotting to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire. His plans are complicated by a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan, who may become the apprentice he needs to fuel his relentless pursuit of revenge.
A Stellar Voice Cast
Leading the voice cast is Sam Witwer – renowned for his portrayal of Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and beyond. He’s joined by Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura (a recent Golden Globe® and Oscar® nominee) as Brander Lawson, and Richard Ayoade as Two-Boots. A Marvel Comics prequel series set on Janix, featuring Ayoade and Moura, will debut this March.
Visually Stunning Animation
The series boasts a unique, stylized animation that reflects the gritty cityscape of Janix. It blends modern techniques with old-school filmmaking methods, incorporating painterly brushstrokes on glass and other physical elements.
“Cinematography Lighting & VFX Director Joel Aron really took it up a notch with going back to the practical ways of capturing brush strokes by painting them on glass, shooting them then strategically placing them in shots,” says Executive Producer and Vice President of Lucasfilm Animation Athena Portillo. “He even went back to establishing matte paintings on canvas. There’s always different challenges with every show that we do, but this one in particular raised the bar. We also wanted the animation body mechanics and the facial to be more fluid from our previous work and animation director Keith Kellogg worked closely with CGCG and our internal animation team to upgrade the performances of our main characters.”
A Serialized Star Wars Story
With 10 episodes spread over five weeks, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord adopts a serialized storytelling approach.
“This show is highly serialized, very connected all the way through,” explains Executive Producer and Supervising Director Brad Rau. “And it’s a super fast-paced series,” adds Executive Producer Matt Michnovetz. “We wanted to create an action-packed thrill ride, something that had the rush of a roller coaster, so we do a lot of homages to the classic serials of the day, which gave George Lucas the inspiration for Star Wars. And we’ve got the perfect character to drive us through this in Maul.”
Janix: A City of Crime and Intrigue
The series unfolds in the gritty cityscape of Janix, a planet untouched by the Empire.
“It’s one part Gotham, one part Metropolis and a hundred percent Star Wars with all these different levels and layers,” says Michnovetz. “It’s a city essentially built into a crater on this planet that is untouched by the Empire. It’s got a functioning democracy and law enforcement doing a good job of policing their own community. It’s a rich environment for crime and gangsters, but so far there’s been a very peaceful accord between all of them in the interest of business.”
The burgeoning Empire, a few years after Order 66, will also play a role, with appearances by Marrok (from Ahsoka Season 1) and the Inquisitorious. “The Empire is consolidating the galaxy from the core worlds out, and the Inquisitorius is stronger than ever,” Michnovetz says. “They’re hunting Jedi and other Force users, doing all kinds of nasty work. The galaxy at large is sort of dealing with this slow rise of the Empire and different groups have different understandings of what the Empire is. The same thing goes for the inquisitors. They’re secret mercenaries that show up out of the darkness.”
Maul Reimagined
Cast aside by Darth Sidious and forged in the fires of the Clone Wars, Maul – Shadow Lord presents a new side of Maul.
“We are having the best time working with Sam Witwer,” says Rau. “He brings so much depth to the character of Maul and with his knowledge of Star Wars, he’s been a really awesome collaborator to keep Maul authentic for us.”
A surprising moment in the trailer shows Maul participating in a tea ceremony, a moment of calm for the usually ferocious warrior. “We’re — all of us, including Sam, — surprised at the new facets that we’re finding in Maul on this show, which we’re sure the fans are going to be delighted with,” Rau says.
Meet the Characters
Alongside Witwer, the cast includes Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, 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.
Learn more about key characters and Janix in the first Databank entries: Star Wars Databank
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is created by Dave Filoni, based on Star Wars and characters created by George Lucas. The series is developed by Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz, with Brad Rau as supervising director. The executive producers are Dave Filoni, Athena Yvette Portillo, Matt Michnovetz, Brad Rau, Carrie Beck, and Josh Rimes, and Alex Spotswood is the co-executive producer.
How far will Maul’s quest for revenge take him? Find out when Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord premieres on Disney+ April 6, 2026.
