If you thought we’d seen the last of our favorite double-bladed, bad-tempered Zabrak, think again. Disney+ just blew the doors off the internet with the trailer for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.
The 10-episode animated series kicks off on April 6, 2026. They’re doing a two-episode premiere, with new episodes dropping every week until the grand finale on Star Wars Day (May 4).
“Gotham Meets Metropolis”
The show takes place roughly a year after The Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith. While the rest of the galaxy is dealing with the slow-moving nightmare of the new Empire, Maul has relocated to a planet called Janix.
The creators are describing the main city on Janix as “one part Gotham, one part Metropolis.” It’s a massive city built into a crater that—so far—the Empire hasn’t bothered to touch. It’s got its own police force, a functioning democracy, and a ton of shady underworld business. Basically, it’s the perfect playground for a former Sith Lord looking to build a criminal empire from the ground up.
A New Apprentice?
The big hook of the trailer is Maul’s encounter with Devon Izara (voiced by Gideon Adlon), a disillusioned Twi’lek Padawan who survived Order 66. Maul is clearly looking for an apprentice to help him get revenge on Palpatine and Obi-Wan, and he sees Devon as the perfect candidate.
Fans are already drawing parallels to the “grumpy old man and a kid” trope (The Mandalorian, The Last of Us), but let’s be real—Maul isn’t trying to be a dad. He’s trying to craft a weapon.
A Cast of Heavy Hitters
| Character | Voice Actor | Role |
| Maul | Sam Witwer | The man, the myth, the legend. |
| Devon Izara | Gideon Adlon | The Twi’lek Padawan on the run. |
| Capt. Brander Lawson | Wagner Moura | A “hard-boiled” detective on Janix. |
| Two-Boots | Richard Ayoade | A droid who serves as Lawson’s partner. |
| Rook Kast | Vanessa Marshall | Returning as the leader of Maul’s Mandalorians. |
| Marrok | A.J. LoCascio | The mysterious Inquisitor from Ahsoka is back! |
Why We’re Hyped
The Animation Style: They’re blending modern CG with “old-school” hand-painted elements. Expect a tactile, cinematic look that feels more like a noir film than a Saturday morning cartoon.
The Gap-Filler: This finally explains how Maul went from the broken fugitive at the end of The Clone Wars to the “Shadow Collective” boss we saw in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
The Antagonists: We’re getting Inquisitors! The trailer confirms Marrok and hints at other members of the Inquisitorius hunting Maul down.
The Lightsaber Combat: It seems Disney pulled out all of the stops this time, as the lightsaber combat, judging by the trailer, is going to be glorious.
Fun Fact: If you can’t wait until April, Marvel Comics is launching a prequel series called Star Wars: Shadow of Maul in March that focuses on the city of Janix and the cops (Brander and Two-Boots) who run it.
