The Shadows Rise: Lucasfilm Drops First Trailer for 'Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord'
The Shadows Rise: Lucasfilm Drops First Trailer for 'Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord'
SAN FRANCISCO — The galaxy’s most resilient survivor is stepping out of the underworld and into the spotlight. Lucasfilm Animation has officially released the first full trailer for Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, a gritty new animated series coming to Disney+ later this year.
The short trailer, which debuted online yesterday morning following a cryptic 24-hour teaser campaign, confirms that the series will serve as the "missing link" in the saga of the iconic horn-headed villain. Set approximately one year after the Siege of Mandalore and the events of The Clone Wars (2020), the show follows Maul as he navigates the early, iron-fisted reign of the Galactic Empire.
Rebuilding an Empire from the Ashes
The three-minute trailer released this afternoon offers a haunting look at a Maul who is no longer a Sith apprentice, but a desperate kingmaker.
"The galaxy has fallen into shadow, but from the ashes I rise," Maul’s voice growls over shots of a neon-soaked, rain-drenched new world called Janix. The series will detail the formation of the Crimson Dawn criminal syndicate, bridging the gap between his defeat by Ahsoka Tano and his eventual appearance as a shadow mogul in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Key highlights from the trailer include:
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The Return of Sam Witwer: The fan-favorite actor returns once again to voice Maul, bringing a refined, Shakespearean menace to the character he has defined for over a decade.
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A New Apprentice: In a reveal that sent social media into a frenzy, the trailer introduces a young, red-skinned Zabrak warrior who many fans believe to be Darth Talon, a character originally from the Star Wars: Legacy comics now being reimagined for the canon.
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The Hunted: Maul isn't just building a syndicate; he’s being hunted. The footage teases a tense "cat-and-mouse" game with Imperial Inquisitors and a mysterious new lawman, Captain Brander Lawson.
The "Filoni Aesthetic" Evolved
Created by Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni, the series is being spearheaded by head writer Matt Michnovetz (The Clone Wars) and supervising director Brad Rau (The Bad Batch).
Visually, Shadow Lord appears to be a significant leap forward for Lucasfilm Animation. The trailer showcases a "noir-inspired" art style, utilizing deep shadows and vibrant neon palettes that contrast sharply with the sterile, white hallways of the emerging Empire.
“Maul is a character defined by loss,” Dave Filoni said in a brief statement accompanying the trailer. “In Shadow Lord, we get to see what happens when a man who has lost everything decides to take it all back—not through the Force, but through the sheer will of the underworld.”
A Multimodal Launch
Disney is putting its full marketing might behind the "Shadow Lord." To prepare fans for the series premiere, Marvel Comics will launch a five-issue prequel miniseries titled Shadow of Maul on 4th March 2026. Written by Benjamin Percy, the comic will introduce the planet Janix and the cast of characters who will cross paths with Maul in the show.
Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, streaming 6th April 2026 on Disney+
