You might think that The Mandalorian & Grogu is the big attraction for Star Wars fans this year, but for some, there’s a more exciting project heading to the small screen in 2026. Get your Disney+ subscription in order, because Darth Maul is coming back!
To kick off the year, Disney and Lucasfilm dropped a tantalising trailer for Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord. That title is a bit of a mouthful, sure, but the show itself looks absolutely brilliant, from its visual style to the kind of story it’s tackling.
I can’t wait for this upcoming trip to a galaxy far, far away. In fact, I’ve waited for this exact tale to be told for eight years, since the release of a more maligned solo character project in the Star Wars universe. I’m delighted Darth Maul is finally getting the spotlight he deserves; here’s why you should be, too.
Why You Should be Hyped For Maul - Shadow Lord
For a start, this new Star Wars show is visually stunning. The animation style seems to blend the very best of Lucasfilm’s old school Autodesk Maya techniques seen in The Clone Wars, the brushstroke effects found in Star Wars: Visions, and hints of the poppy, playful style of films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Still, how many times have we been fooled by projects that are all style and no substance? I mean, The Rise of Skywalker looks great, but it’s a narrative mess; it effectively ruined the Skywalker Saga.
Thankfully, if this ten-episode series delivers on its core premise, Star Wars fans will be feasting on one of the most intriguing and satisfying shows in the franchise. Maul’s magnificent introduction in The Phantom Menace made him an iconic villain from the get-go, and even after being sliced in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi, he’s still been able to carve out a fascinating arc throughout various animated series and comic books.
In Shadow Lord, we’ll finally get to witness Maul in all his badass, gritty glory – just as we were promised eight years ago.
We Finally Get to See the Crime Lord Maul Teased in Solo
Remember how in Solo: A Star Wars Story, we all thought Dryden Vos was the big bad running things, and then, at the very end, the rug was pulled from under our feet as Darth Maul was revealed to be the true leader of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate? What a moment!
I’m not entirely sure where the creators were going with that plot thread. Obviously, the box office performance of Solo didn’t help matters, but Lucasfilm and Disney could still have picked up the Crimson Dawn storyline at some point over these last eight years and done something with it. Alas, they didn’t bother… until now.
Better late than never! To see a character with the immense power, cunning, and ruthlessness of Maul – plus, the incredibly cool, unique weaponry – orchestrating the underground crime scene on a grimy, dangerous planet just sounds like the stuff of dreams. And yet, it’ll soon be a reality.
Solo Deserved More Love – And Maul: Shadow Lord Could Give It That
Okay, so that’s one big, glaring error in the Star Wars catalogue that’s about to be corrected. Now, how about we get more of Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo?
I’m not about to sit here and say Solo: A Star Wars Story is a masterpiece, but it was harmless fun, and a lot of it, at that. The characters, both old and new, were fantastic and had plenty of chemistry with one another. Be it Qi’ra and Dryden or Lando and Han, or even Tobias and Val – the whole ensemble was so watchable and imbued the film with a wonderful energy.
Ehrenreich, in particular, handled one of the most difficult roles you could ever ask for and toed the line between imitation and doing something fresh perfectly. He captured the spirit of Harrison Ford’s performance, but also made the part his own, too. I’d happily pay to see him going on more roguish adventures in the galaxy with Chewie by his side.
If Darth Maul’s potential is finally being realised on the small screen in an animated capacity, why can’t we get more of Han in the same way? Here’s hoping new Star Wars boss Dave Filoni sees the light!
