Darth Maul is back, folks. He returns in the series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord on Disney+ and for fans of the recent era of Star Wars animation, you’re in for something great. For people who might not be as interested in Star Wars animation, it might be a bit too much. The series follows about a year after the events of Star Wars: Clone Wars. Maul has been defeated by Ahsoka Tano and is looking to rebuild his criminal syndicate and find a new apprentice on the planet Janix. This all happens during the reign of the Galactic Empire.

It stars Sam Witwer as Maul, who has voiced the character before and should be no stranger to fans of Star Wars. It also features Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura as Brander Lawon, Richard Ayoade as Two-Boots, and features Dennis Haysbert, Chris Diamantopoulos, Charlie Bushnell, Vanessa Marshall, David W. Collins, AJ LoCascio, and Steve Blum. It comes from creator Dave Filoni and Lucasfilm.

So what is the series like? If you’re into the darker, dingier, and dirtier side of Star Wars this is for you. It might not get to the topical themes and situations of something like Andor, but make no mistake, this isn’t a kids cartoon. Through the 8 episodes that I was shown (there are 10 as a whole in the season), the action is fast-paced and feels more adult than normal. The planet of Janix makes this feel like an old-time serialized noir thriller, almost.

The new characters here are a real highlight with Devon and Brander being two great new additions to the Star Wars canon. Devon’s arc through the season is one that feels familiar to Star Wars but done with some new wrinkles. Wagner Moura injects a suave, almost antihero feeling into Brander with his role as a lawman, who is separate from the Galactic Empire. The rest of the characters coalesce into a storyline that explodes off the screen.

The animation quality this time around is also breathtaking. Action-heavy scenes pop off the screen and look and feel fluid. It definitely gives fans of Maul what they want. He’s badass, he’s frightening, and he does some heavy lifting. Sam Witwer is amazing as always in the role. The series is a bunch of bad guys fighting worse guys. So if that sounds like your thing, you’ll get a kick out of Maul – Shadow Lord.

The series does falter a bit and bogs down in the middle, with a lot going on that could turn off people who aren’t already established Star Wars animation fans. That being said, it’s still very much worth a watch and I’m looking forward to how they finish the season off with its last two episodes.

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord releases on Disney+ on April 6th, 2026.

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