Darth Maul is officially stepping back into the spotlight. Lucasfilm has released the first teaser trailer for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, confirming a two-episode premiere on April 6, 2026 on Disney+. After that, the rollout is aggressive: two episodes a week leading to a finale on May 4.
If you have ever wanted Star Wars to lean harder into its criminal underworld, this is the pitch. The series picks up after The Clone Wars, with Maul trying to rebuild his power base while the galaxy rapidly shifts from wartime chaos to the Empire’s grip. It looks like Maul is not just surviving the new era, he is trying to exploit it.
Where This Fits in Maul’s Story
For anyone who only knows Maul from The Phantom Menace, the short version is that he did not stay dead. Animation is where Maul turned into one of the franchise’s most layered villains, evolving from silent assassin to calculated warlord and crime boss.
The Clone Wars left Maul in a brutal position: dangerous, obsessed, and still hungry for control, but no longer operating with the backing of a Sith master. Shadow Lord appears to pick up right in that fallout. The Jedi are scattered, the Republic is gone, and the Empire is reshaping everything, including the black market.
That timing matters, because it is where a lot of Star Wars power plays happen quietly. This is the era where syndicates, smugglers, and opportunists try to claim territory before the Empire fully tightens the screws.
Janix: A New Playground for the Underworld
A big part of the teaser’s hook is a new setting called Janix, described as a major city-world that has stayed out of the Empire’s reach, at least for now. It is framed as a place with its own rules and its own order, which is exactly the kind of environment where Maul can move pieces without drawing immediate attention.
The show’s core setup sounds like classic crime storytelling in Star Wars clothing: syndicates, uneasy alliances, law enforcement trying to keep a fragile peace, and Maul showing up as the element that breaks the balance.
Maul’s New Target: An Apprentice
One of the most interesting story details revealed alongside the trailer is Maul crossing paths with a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan named Devon Izara. That alone changes the vibe.
Maul has always been defined by being used, discarded, and forced to rebuild himself through rage and strategy. Putting a vulnerable Force-user near him opens the door for something more personal and more manipulative than a typical villain arc. If Maul sees Devon as a tool, a student, or a mirror of his own past, that relationship could become the emotional engine of the series.
The Inquisitors Are Coming, and a Familiar Name Is Back
Of course, Maul trying to rise in the early Empire is not going to stay quiet. The series is set during the period when the Inquisitorious is hunting Jedi and other Force users, and the show is confirming their presence.
Even more notable: Marrok is set to appear, connecting this animated story to the live-action corner that introduced him in Ahsoka Season 1. That kind of crossover can be more than a cameo. It is a signal that Lucasfilm wants the animated timeline and the live-action timeline to feel like one connected era, not separate lanes.
Full Voice Cast and the Creative Team
The voice cast is stacked, led by Sam Witwer returning as Maul, a role he has made completely iconic across Star Wars animation. New and returning characters include Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura as Captain Brander Lawson, and Richard Ayoade as a droid called Two-Boots, plus a wider supporting cast that includes names like Dennis Haysbert, Chris Diamantopoulos, Vanessa Marshall, A.J. LoCascio, and Steve Blum.
Behind the scenes, the series is created by Dave Filoni and developed with Matt Michnovetz, with Brad Rau also serving as a key creative lead. If you have followed The Clone Wars, Rebels, or The Bad Batch, those names are basically a stamp for the tone and pace you can expect.
A Different Look for Lucasfilm Animation
Visually, Shadow Lord is aiming for a moodier, grittier feel than the bright war zones and clean Republic settings we have seen in other animated shows. The production notes emphasize more painterly techniques and a heavier noir vibe to match the crime-focused setting.
That fits Maul. He is not a polished villain. He is anger, ambition, and survival instinct wrapped in patience and cruelty. A rougher visual style makes sense if the show wants to feel like it lives in alleys, clubs, backrooms, and shadows.
There’s a Prequel Comic on the Way
If you want extra setup before the premiere, Marvel is publishing a five-issue prequel comic series titled Star Wars: Shadow of Maul, launching in early March. The comic is positioned as a bridge into the animated series, introducing Janix and some of the new players you will meet on-screen.
It is a smart move: crime stories live and die on setting and supporting characters, and giving fans a head start on the world can make the show hit harder from episode one.
What to Watch for Next
The teaser is doing what a first look should do: set the tone, plant the big ideas, and remind everyone why Maul still holds attention decades after his debut. The real question is how far the series goes with the underworld angle, and whether Maul’s rise here is building toward the version of him that fans associate with later-era Star Wars stories.
Either way, the rollout is close and fast. April 6 is not far off, and with two episodes a week, this is going to be one of those series where the conversation changes every seven days.
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