Exploring the Evolution of Darth Maul in the New Animated Series
Sarah Richards
Published May 17, 2026
By & Published Apr 3, 2026, 5:55 PM EDT follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
Sam Witwer just revealed how different Darth Maul is in the new animated series .
After voicing the iconic sci-fi villain in several different Star Wars projects over the years, including Clone Wars, Rebels, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and some LEGO-themed specials, the actor is back for the , which premieres April 6 on Disney+.
In an interview with ScreenRant's Ash Crossan for Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord, Witwer explained that the time period in which this new series takes place is ripe for dramatic and entertaining storytelling of the titular character. "This is the story where he is discovering himself," the voice actor said.
During Clone Wars, which aired from 2008 to 2026, Darth Maul is merely "acting on the programming that his master gave him" instead of thinking for himself. , which aired for four seasons from 2014 to 2018, takes place several years later when Maul is an "old man who's been through his life and his at the end of his rope."
Maul — Shadow Lord, on the other hand, is situated between those , which means the character is "in his prime" and trying to discover himself. Witwer added that Maul sees "the hand of Darth Sidius" (aka Emperor Palpatine) everywhere in the upcoming series. He described the emperor as essentially being Maul's father, the person who raised him to be an assassin.
As a result, Maul is looking to "carve out an identity for himself," which includes acting out in a rebellious manner and undergoing "quite a bit of reassessment."
"If there was ever a gap that's so key to the character, it's this one. I mean, because this is the story where he is discovering himself. Because if you go to Clone Wars, he's just acting on the programming that his master gave him, but he's not really thinking for himself yet. When you go to Rebels, he's an old man who's been through his life and is at the end of his rope, and is ready to do whatever he does. Whereas this, he's in his prime and discovering himself. He's reassessing everything. And everywhere he looks, he sees the hand of Darth Sidius because the empire belongs to the emperor. The emperor is essentially his father. So he really needs to carve out an identity for himself, immediately, because everywhere he looks is the identity of his father, and therefore that seems to indicate who he needs to be. And so there's quite a bit of rebellion in this character and quite a bit of reassessment."
Palpatine has had multiple apprentices (Darth Maul, Count Dooku, and Anakin Skywalker) throughout the Star Wars franchise. In the upcoming Shadow Lord series, Maul is also looking for an apprentice, and he believes he's found one in Devon Izara, a brand-new character.
Devon thought she had her life all figured out, but various circumstances took her down a different path, with Maul right there to be a devil guiding her to what he believes is righteous.
As Witwer noted, , which makes him far more dangerous than ever before, with Devon caught in the crosshairs.
Along with Witwer, and Gideon Adlon as the voice of Devon Izara, the rest of the voice cast includes Wagner Moura, Richard Ayoade, Dennis Haysbert, Chris Diamantopoulos, Charlie Bushnell, Vanessa Marshall, David W. Collins, A.J. LoCascio, and Steve Blum.
, so there will be plenty of time to explore Darth Maul during the height of the Galactic Empire beyond the 10 episodes that will be released during season 1.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord premieres Monday, April 6, on Disney+.
Cast
-
Maul (voice) -
Two-Boots (voice)
Where to watch Close
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingIn the aftermath of The Clone Wars, Maul attempts to revive his criminal syndicate on a secluded planet outside Imperial control. His mission for revenge takes a turn when he meets a disillusioned Jedi Padawan, who may prove to be the apprentice he needs to aid his dark ambitions.
Franchise(s) Main Genre Creator(s) , Matt Michnovetz Executive Producer(s) Athena Yvette Portillo, , Carrie Beck, Matt Michnovetz, Josh Rimes, Brad Rau Producers Athena Yvette Portillo Seasons 1 Release Window 2026 Expand Collapse
Follow Followed Like Share Close Trending Now
