The iconic Sith apprentice Darth Maul, known for his double-bladed lightsaber and memorable debut in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, will star in his dedicated animated series, as revealed in a recent Disney teaser. Titled Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, the project was unveiled during the 2025 Star Wars Celebration event and takes place following Maul's storyline in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, yet prior to his role in Star Wars: Rebels.
This 10-part animated storyline follows Maul as he seeks to reconstruct his criminal organization on a world free from Imperial control, per details from Lucasfilm. During his efforts, he encounters a former Jedi Padawan grappling with doubt, potentially the ideal recruit to support his unyielding quest for vengeance. The series begins with the first two installments on April 6, 2026, followed by bi-weekly releases on Disney+ until May 6.
In line with many of Disney's acclaimed Star Wars animations, Maul – Shadow Lord comes from the vision of Dave Filoni, a key collaborator of George Lucas and co-developer of The Clone Wars, who now leads as President and Chief Creative Officer at Lucasfilm. The show extends narrative elements from Filoni's earlier contributions, potentially signaling the direction of his leadership: explorations within the established Star Wars universe.
Following the 2019 conclusion of the sequel trilogy with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Disney and Lucasfilm have faced challenges in charting the franchise's path forward, with numerous initiatives stalled in development and promising television efforts axed, leaving reliable output mainly in extensions from The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars. On the horizon, The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in theaters on May 22, 2026, marking the initial major Star Wars film in seven years. Additionally, Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Shawn Levy and positioned in the timeline after Rise of Skywalker, is scheduled for release on May 28, 2027.