Lucasfilm appears to be getting experimental with a new art style for Maul: Shadow Lord. Star Wars' next streaming series is set to put the spotlight on Sam Witwer's twin-sabered Sith lord in the wake of Order 66. The series is the next chapter in the Clone Wars lineage of Star Wars TV shows, and (at least as far as we know) will bring over that series' signature animation style.
Sneak peeks at the upcoming series have been few and far between, but the most recent first look may have pulled the curtain back on some significant changes coming to Maul: Shadow Lord. The 25-second teaser, meant to promote the imminent release of a full-length trailer, debuted what could be a wholly new animation style for the 2026 show.
The brunt of this short promotional video consists of these unique, brushstroke-like vignettes recounting some of Darth Maul's most iconic moments across film and TV. This is the first time fans have seen an art style like this in Star Wars, and it could indicate a change in how the Maul series is going to look.
There has been confirmation that the typical three-dimensional Clone Wars-style animation will be present in Shadow Lord; however, this new art style could serve as a way to depict various flashbacks throughout the series, telling the story of Maul's past as it relates to his current plight living under Imperial rule.
Watch the complete teaser below:
Maul: Shadow Lord has been confirmed to debut on Disney+ sometime in 2026. The new series from newly-appointed Lucasfilm head Dave Filoni will follow the titular Prequels' big bad in the years after the fall of the Jedi, as he tries to navigate his new intergalactic surroundings.
Longtime Maul voice actor Sam Witwer will return to play the character. Maul will also seemingly be joined by a new Twi'lek character, assumed to be his apprentice, and a Jedi-hunting Inquisitor named Marrok.
When Will Maul: Shadow Lord Be Released?
Fans have known for months that Maul: Shadow Lord is coming to Disney+ in 2026, but when exactly has remained a mystery.
The Maul-focused streaming series joins the likes of The Mandalorian & Grogu, Ahsoka Season 2, and Star Wars Visions Presents: The Ninth Jedi on Lucasfilm's 2026 slate. Of those projects, only two have release windows: The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 29) and Ahsoka Season 2 (reported to be sometime this summer).
Given that Maul: Shadow Lord already has a trailer ready, it would seem the animated series is imminent, kicking off the year for the star-faring brand.
As it stands, the Disney+ slate is looking rather barren after January 27, when Marvel Studios' Wonder Man debuts. Between Wonder Man in late January and Daredevil: Born Again in early March, there is an about-a-month-long window for a Star Wars series to come out and shine. This appears to be where Maul will end up falling.
Following its incoming trailer, Maul: Shadow Lord could arrive in early February, getting to own center stage on the Disney-owned streamer for several weeks before something like Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 comes along and gobbles up all the oxygen in the room.
Not to say the Maul series needs to be finished by Daredevil's premiere date, but it at least needs to be off and rolling before Marvel's scarlet scrapper comes knocking.
