The star of Lucasfilm's upcoming Disney+ show, Maul - Shadow Lord, recently talked about how the creative team behind the project is trying its hardest to make the series the greatest title in the galaxy far, far away. Maul - Shadow Lord has a lot riding on it, and is already being viewed as one of the most important Star Wars projects of the past few years. The series will follow an already beloved character in a time period many Star Wars fans know and love, and will continue a story that was fleshed out in The Clone Wars, which is often viewed as the best Star Wars show of all time.
In issue #236 of Star Wars Insider (the official Star Wars magazine that will soon come to an end with issue #237), Maul - Shadow Lord lead actor Sam Witwer, who will be portraying the titular character in the upcoming show, took some time to highlight the work that has gone into the upcoming Disney+ show. Specifically, Witwer mentioned that Shadow Lord will be unlike anything that Star Wars has done in the past and that the creative team was instructed to make it bigger and bolder than anything that came before.
For instance, Witwer explained that Maul - Shadow Lord is "the most difficult show [they've] ever done." The star also stated that "everyone rolled up their sleeves to make it something special."
Supervising director Brad Rau and writer Matt Michnovetz were specifically noted as leading the charge when it came to the creative direction of the upcoming show. Witwer claimed that Maul - Shadow Lord "is going to be their magnum opus," teasing that it will push the boundaries of storytelling and could potentially be the greatest piece of storytelling either individual has every created.
For reference, Rau was the supervising director for The Bad Batch and Forces of Destiny. He also directed episodes of Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: Resistance. So, he has had a hand in multiple major Star Wars projects, particularly in animation.
Michnovetz was credited as a writer on Rebels, The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Tales of the Empire, and Tales of the Underworld. So, like Rau, he has already been involved with extremely successful Star Wars projects. Therefore, Witwer claiming this could be his "magnum opus" could mean the upcoming series will be truly special.
Witwer also named Tracy Cannobbio, a Lucasfilm publicist, as someone who has "been there since the beginning of this character." He also noted that she would "give a reaction or a note, and the smart people (would) just apply it immediately:"
"She's been there since the beginning of this character: Sometimes she'll give a reaction or a note, and the smart people just apply it immediately. Having her perspective made me feel more secure about what we've done with 'Maul.'"
Witwer then went on to specifically talk about other members of the creative team and their respective roles and work that went into making Maul - Shadow Lord come to life. For example, the star named Athena Portillo, an important producer "who was so devoted to getting things right that she wouldn't let [the project] fail."
According to Witwer, Portillo was also "the kind of leader who solves problems before anyone else knows they even exist:"
"There are producers, and then there are nuclear producers like Athena Portillo, who was so devoted to getting things right that she wouldn't let us fail. She built in contingencies and gave us time to experiment before we had to send any episodes out. She locked several completely but kept the early ones open so we could go back and revise them once we had learned how to make the show better. She's the kind of leader who solves problems before anyone else knows they even exist."
The show's lead actor also talked about people such as Keith Kellogg, Joel Aron, and David Collins, who Witwer has "worked with for 18 years:"
"Keith Kellogg in animation, Joel Aron in lighting-they've given the show a new look that's more in line with how Maul sees the galaxy: dangerous and extreme. David Collins, who I've worked with for 18 years, has created the soundscape. It's unlike anything we've heard in Star Wars before. Closer to 'THX 1138.' It sounds like a weird feature film, not a TV show."
Most notably, Witwer noted that Dave Filoni (who is now the president of Lucasfilm) "gave [them] the mandate to do everything better" and "to push everything further."
The actor then revealed that they "built this subplot that wasn't in the scripts, and what came out of it is one of [his] favorite things [they've] ever done with the character:"
"Dave Filoni gave us the mandate to do everything better: acting, scripts, story, cinematography, sound. He told us to push everything further. We built this subplot that wasn't in the scripts and what came out of it is one of my favorite things we've ever done with the character. It's strange, emotional, and absolutely Star Wars."
Once again, Witwer made it a point to say that that the team behind Maul - Shadow Lord "has been pushing the boundaries" and "tried things [fans] wouldn't imagine:"
"It really was. Everyone has been pushing the boundaries. We've tried things you wouldn't imagine, like me shooting reference footage for complex, emotional scenes, so the animators could see how my eyes and expressions worked."
The lead actor went on to talk more about some of the "practical photography tricks that no one will recognize" when the show is released. However, he is confident that everything will turn out and be successful, because "[they] all wanted to make this the best thing [they've] ever done:"
"We've even used some practical photography tricks that no one will recognize because it all looks painted, but they solved problems in old-school fashion, like the guys at Industrial Light & Magic back in the day. These are people I've worked with for almost two decades. We trust each other completely. If someone has a note, you listen. We all wanted to make this the best thing we've ever done."
Will Maul - Shadow Lord Hit Its Mark?
It is clear, based on Sam Witwer's comments, that Disney and Lucasfilm have high hopes for Maul - Shadow Lord. As mentioned, it is an important project because it is set between two beloved animated shows, with those being The Clone Wars and Rebels.
The first official teaser for Shadow Lord has been released. Objectively, it seems like a compelling story, and, notably, it will be testing out a new animation style that has never been used in Star Wars before.
So, Lucasfilm is taking a big swing with Shadow Lord and is hoping to hit a home run. The show could be a massive success, and that home run could be hit. However, sometimes, the harder someone swings, the more likely they are to miss altogether.
If Shadow Lord tells a compelling story and bridges the gap between The Clone Wars and Rebels, it will absolutely hit its mark. It is great that the show's creative team is experimenting with different animation styles and trying to push the boundaries, but, at the end of the day, the story is the most important aspect.
