The teaser trailer and first poster for Star Wars: Maul – Lord of Shadows have been released.
Jan 31, 2026Executive producers reveal new characters and locations from the animated series, premiering on Disney+ April 6, 2026, as well as announce the full cast and reveal the plot for the first time.
Maul himself, with a velvety growl, invites you to take a closer look at the galaxy rebuilt by the Empire in the animated series "Star Wars: Maul - Lord of Shadows. The first teaser trailer and poster for the animated series were released today, giving fans their first glimpse into the world of Janix and the underworld intrigues set in the era near the beginning of the reign of Emperor Palpatine.
Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lordbeginning with a two-part premiere on Disney+ on April 6, 2026 and airing two episodes per week until the finale on Star Wars Day, May 4, continues the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars In this thrilling adventure, Maul plots to rebuild his crime syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.There he meets a disillusioned young Jedi Padawan who may be the very apprentice he seeks to help him in his relentless quest for revenge.
The voice cast includes Sam Witwer (who also voiced Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels and other projects), Gideon Adlon as Devon Isara, recent Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Wagner Moura as Brander Lawson and Richard Ayoade as Two Boots ; the latter duo will also appear in Marvel Comics' prequel series set on the planet Janix starting this March.
The series uses stylized animation to capture the gritty new urban landscape of Janix combined with traditional filmmaking techniques to capture painterly brush strokes on glass and other physical elements.
“Cinematographer, lighting and visual effects artist Joel Aron has really raised the bar by going back to the hands-on techniques of capturing brush strokes by painting them on glass, filming them, and then strategically placing them in the frame,” says executive producer and vice president of Lucasfilm Animation Athena Portillo. “He even went back to doing matte paintings on canvas. Each of our projects always has different challenges, but this one in particular raised the bar.We also wanted body and facial animation to be smoother than our previous work, and animation director Keith Kellogg worked closely with CGCG and our in-house animation team to enhance the performances of our main characters."
Star Wars: Maul – Lord of Shadows, consisting of 10 episodes over five weeks, will be built on a consistent narrative across the Star Wars universe. “This series is very consistent, all the episodes are connected,” says executive producer and director Brad Rau.
“This is an incredibly fast-paced series,” adds executive producer Matt Michnovec. “We wanted to create an exciting action movie, a rollercoaster of sorts, so we pay homage to the classic TV shows of the time that inspired George Lucas to create Star WarsAnd we have the perfect character to help us do that: Maul.”
Welcome to Janix!
Set in the shadowy city of Janix, the series sets the stage for the next chapter in Maul's relentless quest for revenge and power among the crime syndicates.
“It’s part Gotham, part Metropolis, and one hundred percent Star Warswith all these different levels and layers,” says Michnovec. “This is a city essentially built in a crater on this planet untouched by the Empire. It is a functioning democracy and law enforcement agencies do a good job of maintaining order in their community.This is a fertile environment for crime and gangsters, but for now there is a very peaceful agreement between them all in the interests of business.”
Beyond the crime syndicates and Maul's undoubtedly devious machinations on Janix, the series will explore the emerging Empire in the period following Order 66, with the introduction of Marrok - who first appeared in Ahsoka's first season - and the Inquisitorial Orders.
“The Empire is consolidating the galaxy, starting with the core worlds, and the Inquisitorium is stronger than ever,” says Mikhnovets. “They hunt Jedi and other Force users and do all sorts of nasty things. The galaxy as a whole is experiencing the slow rise of the Empire, and different groups have different understandings of what the Empire is. The same applies to inquisitors. They are secret mercenaries emerging from the darkness.”
Darth is gone
Rejected by his Sith master Darth Sidious and forged in the fires of the Clone Wars, Maul – Lord of Shadows represents Maul as we have never seen him before.
“We really enjoy working with Sam Witwer,” says Rau. “He brings so much depth to the character of Maul, and with his knowledge of Star Wars, he has been a fantastic collaborator for us to help keep Maul authentic.”
At one point in the trailer, Maul takes part in a tea ceremony, a moment of quiet contemplation for a character usually known for his fierce combat. “We're all, including Sam, excited about the new facets of Maul's character we're discovering in this series, and we're confident fans will be delighted,” says Rau.
Art director Andre Kirk and Rau worked together on the design of the tea set."There's a moment in the animation where Maul is having a tea ceremony with Devon, and you can see nuances in Maul's performance that Sam Witwer picked up from attending a real tea ceremony in Japan," Portillo added.
Witwer was also instrumental in introducing the new cast to the galaxy. According to Rau, Gideon Adlon as Devon "brings a sense of realism to the series that it desperately needs."
“Devon is a young girl going through difficult times and realizing that the future she once hoped for is no longer possible, and so she has to adapt,” adds Michnovets.
“She is torn between good and evil, but there is also a share of innocence in her. When you see her in the studio with Sam, it's like you're watching Maul and Devon interact,” Portillo says. “He, Matt and Brad tell her about the Star Warsuniverse and what this character is all about.”
In addition to Sam Witwer as Maul, Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura as Brander Lawson and Richard Ayoade as Two Shoes, the cast also includes Dennis Haysbert as Master Eco-Dio Ducky, Chris Diamantopoulos as Lootie Vario, Charlie Bushnell as Riley Lawson, Vanessa Marshall as Rook Cast, David W. Collins as Spy, AJ LoCascio as Marrok and Steve Bloom as Icarus. Read more about the key characters and the new setting in the first entries of the databank of the series, dedicated to the story of Maul, as well as new characters Devon Izare, Brander Lawson, Two Boots and Janix.
Star Wars: Maul - Lord of Shadows was created by Dave Filoni based on Star Wars and characters created by George Lucas.The series is being developed by Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovets. Brad Rau is the executive director. Executive producers are Dave Filoni, Athena Yvette Portillo, Matt Michnovec, Brad Rau, Carrie Beck and Josh Rhimes. Alex Spotswood is co-executive producer.
How far will Maul's thirst for revenge go? Find out whenStar Wars: Maul – Lord of Shadowsarrives on Disney+ on April 6, 2026.