Next month will make history for Lucasfilm on television thanks to a pair of pivotal Star Wars releases. The month of May has always been a special time for the galaxy far, far away, with the pre-Summer slot typically home to big-screen Star Wars releases and also housing May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day. This May is set to be extra special as it brings not one but two new Star Wars projects.
This year, Star Wars will release not only a new animated series, Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, but also its first theatrical film since 2019's Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, in The Mandalorian & Grogu. What's even more exciting is that these are both May releases, with Maul - Shadow Lord releasing its final episodes on May 4 (syncing up with Star Wars Day), and The Mandalorian & Grogu arriving a couple of weeks later on May 22.
This will make May 2026 a historic month, specifically for Star Wars television, as it's the first time in the post-COVID era that episodes of a Star Wars Disney+ TV series release in the same month as a Star Wars movie. This has happened only once before, in 2019, when new episodes of The Mandalorian premiered on Disney+ in the same month as The Rise of Skywalker was released in cinemas.
However, this time it's slightly different as The Mandalorian & Grogu originated as a Disney+ series, and this is the first instance of a Star Wars TV show being transitioned into a feature film release. This makes it an even more historic month for Lucasfilm, as both Maul - Shadow Lord and The Mandalorian & Grogu have ties to the television side of Star Wars.
The Mandalorian & Grogu is a direct continuation of the Disney+ series, following the Mandalorian, Din Djarin, and his companion, Grogu, on new adventures throughout the galaxy. The film takes place after the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, as the galaxy is in a tenuous state following the Empire's downfall and the beginnings of the New Republic.
Meanwhile, Maul - Shadow Lord takes place after a different Star Wars film trilogy, set after The Clone Wars and Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith, when the Empire has seized power and Darth Sidious and Darth Vader reign supreme. Amongst this, Darth Maul, Sidious's ex-apprentice from Episode I: The Phantom Menace, attempts to re-establish his criminal empire and get revenge on those who have wronged him.
Both Maul - Shadow Lord and The Mandalorian and Grogu releasing new content within weeks of each other is a huge milestone for Lucasfilm and is the perfect way for fans to celebrate Star Wars Day in 2026.
May Is the Beginning of a Big Year for Star Wars
Despite its cinematic side dating back much longer, Star Wars projects have been released less frequently than other major franchises like Marvel or DC in recent years.
The release of two new properties in the Star Wars universe in the same month is huge and welcomes back the animated television and theatrical sides of Lucasfilm's franchise. But it's just the start of a big run for Star Wars in 2026.
While it remains undated, this year is expected to bring Season 2 of Ahsoka, the live-action sequel series to the animated shows The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Rosario Dawson has also portrayed Ahsoka in The Mandalorian, and many are eager to see how much correlation there may be between The Mandalorian & Grogu and Ahsoka Season 2.
Additionally, the Star Wars Visions spin-off film, Star Wars Visions Presents: The Ninth Jedi, is expected to debut in 2026. This will usher in a new era of standalone Star Wars films, with the Star Wars Visions Presents banner opening the door for more anime anthology episodes to receive standalone sequels.
The combination of Maul - Shadow Lord, Ahsoka Season 2, The Mandalorian & Grogu, and Star Wars Visions Presents, means almost all of the existing Star Wars formats are being ticked off in 2026 as Lucasfilm forges ahead in the worlds of television, animation, anthology, and feature films.
