Fans have been given a new look at Darth Maul ahead of his 2026 return to the Star Wars galaxy. Lucasfilm's next entry in the Clone Wars lineage of Star Wars series is set to arrive this year with Maul: Shadow Lord. The new animated TV show will focus on Sam Witwer's sith lord in the wake of Order 66, as he figures out what is next for him now that the Jedi are gone.
After years of playing second fiddle to other characters in the galaxy far, far away, the new series will mark the Maul-specific Star Wars TV show or movie, breaking new ground for fans of the dual-sabered Dathomirian. That means, Maul will be exuding 'main character energy,' unlike ever before, getting the treatment typical of a Star Wars series figurehead.
Darth Maul has taken center stage yet again in a new look at his upcoming Disney+ release. New merchandise for the Maul: Shadow Lord revealed another sneak peek at the show's Force-wielding hero (via Star Wars Holocron).
The image, which might be the best fans have gotten of the character's Shadow Lord design, sees Maul grimacing in typical fashion with his saber lit ready for a fight.
His outfit seems similar to that seen in later seasons of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, an open-shirted robe with a three-layered belt around his torso.
Fans, aside from those in attendance at Star Wars Celebration 2024, have yet to see a proper trailer for the Maul series, but with merch seemingly out there, one could be imminent. No specific release timing for Maul: Shadow Lord has been announced, but it has been confirmed for a 2026 debut.
When Will We See Maul: Shadow Lord?
Star Wars is set to have a busy year, and Maul: Shadow Lord is just a small part of it. Maul has been confirmed to be one of three Star Wars series coming to Disney+, joining Ahsoka Season 2 and Star Wars Visions Presents: The Ninth Jedi. That is on top of the franchise's return to theaters with the upcoming Mandalorian & Grogu.
While fans by no means know what the entire Star Wars calendar looks like for 2026, there are a few titles that could indicate where a project like Maul: Shadow Lord will drop.
With Ahsoka having only just finished production last fall, a release sometime in late summer makes the most sense. That is on top of The Mandalorian & Grogu coming to theaters on May 22.
So, that likley means the Darth Maul series is set for either the first few months of the year, or the last few months of the year. Seeing as the only other project with not even a whisper of a release window is The Ninth Jedi, and Lucasfilm just dropped its third season of Star Wars Visions a few months ago, it would make sense for the star-faring studio to want to space things out, pushing Ninth Jedi to later rather than sooner.
That could mean a Shadow Lord release may be imminent, filling a Star Wars void for fans before The Mandalorian & Grogu, while logically spacing out its other releases evenly across 2026.
