Darth Maul Is Getting His Own Disney+ Series

A well-known antagonist from the Star Wars saga is set to star in his very own TV show for the first time.

Lucasfilm revealed at Star Wars Celebration that Darth Maul will star in their upcoming animated series on Disney+. As reported by StarWars.com, this show, titled Maul: Shadow Lord, takes place after the finale of The Clone Wars and follows Maul as he rises from the ashes to control the criminal underworld factions. His ultimate goal is to rebuild his crime syndicate on a planet unaffected by the Empire.

In the upcoming role, it’s Sam Witwer who will portray Maul. Previously, he lent his voice to Maul during his appearances on “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and also had a brief live-action appearance as Maul in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Initially, Maul made his appearance in “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace.” Originally intended to be played by Benicio del Toro, the character evolved into a more physically expressive role, causing del Toro’s departure from the project. Ray Park enacted the physical aspects, while Peter Serafinowicz provided the voiceover. As an apprentice to the malevolent Emperor Palpatine, Maul seemed to meet his end in the movie, a fate few survive when literally split in two. However, due to fan enthusiasm, George Lucas decided to resurrect the character for the animated “Clone Wars” series, now fitted with a cyborg lower body.

Later on, Maul made an appearance in “Star Wars: Rebels,” engaging in another battle (this time animated) with Obi-Wan, the very one who had divided him earlier. This character has been featured extensively across various “Star Wars” novels and comics as well. It’s somewhat astonishing that it took so long to provide Maul with his own animated series, considering how he was frequently incorporated into productions where his presence seemed unnecessary, such as “Clone Wars” and “Solo.

In 2026, it’s expected that “Maul: Shadow Lord” will make its premiere on Disney+. Since the end of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” this animated series is the first new Star Wars offering on the platform, not counting anthology series like “Star Wars Visions” or “Star Wars Tales,” or the kid-friendly “Young Jedi Adventures.

Sign up for Disney+ here.

The 10 Worst Superhero Movies of the Last 10 Years (2015-2024)

10. Eternals (2021)

It’s clear that many people would disagree with the claim that Marvel’s recent films lack consistency compared to their early ones. While there may be some exaggeration in portraying the company’s struggles, it is undeniable that they have still produced enjoyable movies such as “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”, “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”. However, I must admit that I was surprised when a Marvel movie directed by an Oscar winner and based on some of Jack Kirby’s groundbreaking comics didn’t live up to my expectations. Unfortunately, “Eternals” failed to deliver a cohesive narrative. The film remains largely faithful to Kirby’s core ideas, but it makes small yet frustrating alterations – for instance, transforming the antagonistic Deviants into generic monsters with no discernible goals or motivations. The large ensemble cast includes commendable supporting performances from Kumail Nanjiani and Brian Tyree Henry, but the two leads, Gemma Chan as Sersi and Richard Madden as Ikaris, struggle to convincingly portray their centuries-long romance. Their relationship, spanning 6,000 years, appears as if it’s on their first date and going terribly wrong. The script occasionally touches upon intriguing themes about the relationships between superheroes, mythology, and religion, only to abandon them for repetitive action sequences featuring dull monsters. It is challenging to imagine a more unexciting film about eternal alien robots trying to prevent universal destruction than “Eternals”.

9. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

As a passionate cinephile, I must say that the original “Venom” was a dark exploration into body horror, with Tom Hardy’s performance as Eddie Brock often veering into broad and comical territory. However, “Let There Be Carnage” is more like a romantic comedy between Venom and Eddie – they bicker over their incompatible cohabitation, flirt with the idea of separating to explore new relationships (or eat some brains), and it’s quite entertaining!

In contrast to “Venom,” which got bogged down in convoluted subplots about the nefarious Life Foundation, “Let There Be Carnage” is stripped down to its bare essentials. This minimalist approach leaves many fundamental story questions unanswered and key characters absent for the first hour. The plot has numerous gaps, and the action sequences are often confusing, leading me to suspect there might have been some editorial carnage at Sony Studios (a problem that seems to be a recurring theme in their Spider-Man “spinoffs” of late).

8. The New Mutants (2020)

Following numerous postponements and whispers, Fox’s X-Men finale staggered into sparsely populated cinemas during the Covid-stricken summer of 2020. At that juncture, it was challenging to dispute there was anything novel about these mutants – except for some peculiar decisions by director Josh Boone in transforming an emblematic ’80s Marvel comic into a movie.

His adaptation retained the personalities of New Mutants characters such as timid werewolf Rahne Sinclair (played by Maisie Williams) and brash Bobby da Costa (Henry Zaga), but it significantly mishandled its concept. Rather than a narrative about the upcoming generation of heroes, it was entirely set within a colossal mutant hospital that seemed to be managed by a single doctor. References to the broader X-Men universe only added to the perplexity (Where is Colossus and why does he seem unbothered by his sister receiving treatment from this questionable medical professional?).

7. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

In a rather unfortunate turn of events for the movie “X-Men: Apocalypse”, it not only concealed the talent of Oscar Isaac but also buried him under excessive blue makeup. The film’s portrayal of him was marked by an amusing, goofy voice and scenes that were decidedly uncool, such as placing his hand on a television screen and uttering the quirky phrase “Lllllleeeeeeearniiiiiiing.”

On top of this, “X-Men: Apocalypse” committed several other offenses. It began with an amusing but out-of-place opening credits sequence and squandered every ounce of the momentum and goodwill it had earned from its far superior predecessor, “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” At this juncture, it seems that the best days for the X-Men franchise have indeed been left behind in the days of future past.

6. Kraven the Hunter (2024)

As a movie enthusiast, have you ever pondered the origin of Kraven’s furry vest? If so, then I’ve got a film that might just tickle your curiosity – “Kraven”. This Spider-Man B-list villain’s wardrobe-centric spinoff, surprisingly devoid of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, delves into the life of a hunter (portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson), whose most distinct feature is his sculpted abs. The storyline is complex and meandering, with the protagonist engaging in combat with his father (a flamboyant and heavily Russian-accented Russell Crowe) and the Rhino (Alessandro Nivola). In this universe, the Rhino is a bumbling Russian crook, who carries around a child-sized backpack filled with medicine to prevent him from transforming into a large, gray-skinned monster. And yes, the movie does pay special attention to Kraven’s iconic lion-faced vest, finally unveiling its secret.

5. Justice League (2017)

The Justice League movie was intended to be the culmination of a connected narrative, but instead, it turned out to be a hastily wrapped up finale to an incomprehensible storyline. Originally directed by Zack Snyder, the project was later taken over by Joss Whedon due to personal reasons, resulting in a product that seems unlike anything either filmmaker would have produced. The editing was haphazard, the mood was disjointed, and the main antagonist was a bland CGI character with no charm or purpose. (Believe it or not, he aims to take over the world!) Although Snyder’s original cut is now available on Max, the disappointing Justice League will forever be remembered as one of the weakest DC films ever produced.

4. Fantastic Four (2015)

In the film “Fantastic Four,” a team of promising young scientists develop a device to travel across dimensions, fearing their funding agency might exploit their work. This plotline can be interpreted as a metaphor for the production process itself, where a group of aspiring filmmakers with noble intentions bring a fresh take on established characters, but find their creativity stifled by profit-driven forces.

The movie is an eclectic blend of genres, shifting between horror and superhero tropes, which makes it feel disjointed and confusing, much like a bizarre salad containing lettuce, gummy worms, and carpet samples, dressed with Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Additionally, the Thing character walks around naked throughout the movie, raising questions about why this is so and whether anyone else finds it unusual.

3. Suicide Squad (2016)

In this movie, the Suicide Squad is not only the source of the problem they are tasked to resolve, but also the means by which it can be solved. The villain in question is a member of the Suicide Squad who rebels, and the central plot revolves around saving an enigmatic character who, as it turns out, is the founder and leader of the Suicide Squad. Essentially, the Suicide Squad in this film functions like alcohol according to Homer Simpson: it’s both the cause and the remedy for all the story’s predicaments.

Initially, the concept of the Suicide Squad may have been crafted coherently by director David Ayer. However, when the movie was finally released, it had been trimmed down to resemble shredded cabbage. A warning: The “Extended Cut” will not enhance the film’s quality. In fact, the Suicide Squad could have done without being longer. This represented the lowest point of the DCEU (Rest in Peace). At least James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad was a noticeable improvement.

2. Madame Web (2024)

In a surprising move, Sony produced the prequel film “Madame Web” starring Dakota Johnson, despite the character never having her own ongoing Marvel comic. The film finds Johnson’s EMT character gaining psychic abilities after a brush with death, which lead her to protect three young women marked by a villain with spider-like powers.

The narrative seems to have undergone significant changes during post-production and reshoots, as evidenced by some jarring special effects and costume designs. The film’s quality is such that it barely manages to outdo “Morbius” in terms of being the worst superhero movie of the last decade. (It’s worth noting that, while Johnson portrays the title character, none of the other characters refer to her as “Madame Web” within the film.)

1. Morbius (2022)

Released on April 1st, 2022, the film Morbius turned out to be an unexpected joke on moviegoers. The final product barely resembled the trailers, with key scenes and plotlines noticeably absent. It seemed as if during post-production, the entire film was reedited to ensure it was evident that it was not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Unfortunately, clarity was one of the few things that were evident in Morbius. This vampire movie felt like a Frankenstein creation; pieced together from various storylines and characters that didn’t quite fit, then brought to life in an awkward, disjointed manner. Sony has produced some fantastic Spider-Man films, both live-action and animated. However, their spinoffs based on the Spider-Man universe were perhaps the most disappointing developments in superhero cinema over the past decade.

2025-04-18 16:54