Sam Witwer as Darth Maul in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’. Photo: Lucasfilm.
Preview:
- Darth Maul is getting his own ‘Star Wars’ animated series.
- Sam Witwer is back to voice the character.
- ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ will be on Disney+ next year.
Despite being sliced in half and falling down a shaft following his defeat at the hands of Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, the spiky-headed, devil-faced Darth Maul has enjoyed a long post-movie life, resurrected more than once (and dying again a few times, including a comic book rematch with Obi-Wan that ends with Maul’s horns cut off and a blaster bolt to the head from Owen Lars).
But the character, who made such an impact in ‘Star Wars: Episode I –– The Phantom Menace’ (where he was played physically by Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz), just keeps popping back up.
He was seen in 2018’s ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story,’ played once more by Park and voiced this time by Sam Witwer.
Indeed, Witwer has made quire the career of providing the growly tones for the character, voicing him in animated series ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ and ‘Star Wars Rebels.’
So we should perhaps not be too surprised that he’s now scored his own series, set to be a variety show format where he introduces musical acts from across the galaxy far, far away. All right no, it’s not that. But we would watch that.
Instead, Witwer took the take at Star Wars Celebration 2025 Japan to announce the new series, which will be called ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ and follows the further adventures of the character’s dodgy dealings in the criminal underworld.
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After the Clone Wars, Maul plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire. Read the Plot
What’s the story of ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’?
Sam Witwer as Darth Maul in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’. Photo: Lucasfilm.
The new show is set in the wake of the events of the final season of ‘The Clone Wars.’ Maul tries to rebuild his defunct Shadow Collective criminal syndicate into what will eventually become ‘Solo’s Crimson Dawn on a planet unknown to the Empire, while taking an apprentice, Talon.
A somewhat deep pull from the wider ‘Star Wars’ mythology, George Lucas featured the Twi’lek Darth Talon in his unused treatments of the sequel trilogy that were put aside when Disney went in its own direction for the new movies.
She was to have been the apprentice of Darth Maul, the two serving as the new trilogy’s primary two villains.
As reported in a ‘Star Wars’ Archives tome, Lucas reportedly commented:
“She was the new Darth Vader and most of the action was with her. In early versions, she would have corrupted the character who became Kylo Ren, and in later versions they were combined into the same character.”
And that wasn’t the only Lucas idea for the character –– he briefly considered revealing that wheezing ‘Revenge of the Sith’ cyborg General Grievous was secretly a resurrected Darth Maul in disguise.
What else is happening with small-screen ‘Star Wars’?
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka,’ exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
While mainstay ‘The Mandalorian’ is on pause as creator Jon Favreau concentrates on finishing movie spin-off ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ (due out on May 22nd next year), there is still activity on the TV front for ‘Star Wars.’
On stage at Celebration, Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni confirmed that production on ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’s second season is gearing up, with Carrie Beck, Lucasfilm’s Vice President of Animation and Live-Action Development, currently in the UK preparing for filming to begin.
That show will see the return of Rosario Dawson’s title character, alongside the likes of Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and the villainous Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
And following the death of Season 1 actor Ray Stevenson, the role of former Jedi Baylan Skoll will be played by ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Rory McCann.
Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ‘Andor’, exclusively on Disney+. ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
Elsewhere, ‘Star Wars: Andor’ returns next week for its second season, following the story of rebel agent Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) up to the events of 2016’s ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.’
We can expect a third season of animated series ‘Star Wars: Visions’ this year (word on a release date might be coming soon at Celebration) and we’re still hoping for a second run of ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,’ though nothing has been announced about that yet.
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Where else have we seen (and heard) Sam Witwer?
(L to R) Sam Huntington, Meaghan Rath and Sam Witwer in ‘Being Human’. Photo: Syfy.
In addition to his duties with the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy, including supplying additional voices to several of the main ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy movies, the aforementioned ‘Skeleton Crew’ and ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka,’ and a host of other animated ‘Wars’ work, Witwer has forged quite the career in front of the camera and as a voiceover artist.
Other voice work includes ‘Robot Chicken,’ ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ and a variety of video games.
You might also have seen him physically in the likes of ‘Leverage: Redemption,’ ‘The Mist,’ ‘Mythic Quest,’ ‘Supergirl,’ ‘Once Upon a Time,’ ‘Grimm,’ ‘Smallville’ and ‘Being Human.’
When will ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ launch on Disney+?
While an exact date has yet to be confirmed, Witwer mentioned on stage that the show is due to arrive on the streaming service next year.
At last, he will reveal himself to the Jedi. At last he will have rev… no, wait, sorry. He’s done that already.
Ray Park as Darth Maul in ‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’. Photo: Lucasfilm.