George Lucas’ Canceled Star Wars Show Is Officially Being Revived In The Next Disney+ Series

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The upcoming Star Wars series on Disney+ is bringing back an important element from a George Lucas show that was previously canceled. Since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, the Star Wars universe has expanded with many films and series, including the sequel trilogy, Rogue One, Solo, Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian, The Bad Batch, and Andor.

It’s common for fans to compare the Disney-era Star Wars stories to the original vision George Lucas had, including ideas he never got to finish. Interestingly, a project he once planned that was canceled is now being adapted into a different Star Wars series.

George Lucas’ Star Wars: Underworld Was Canceled

Prior to Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, George Lucas was developing a live-action Star Wars series called Underworld. The show was envisioned as a gritty, multi-season drama for mature audiences, focusing on the criminal activity within the depths of the planet Coruscant. The story would have taken place between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, during the height of the Empire’s power.

Approximately 60 scripts were written for the planned Star Wars: Underworld series, which would have featured storylines centered around well-known characters like Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Han Solo, and Lando Calrissian. George Lucas described the show’s inspiration, stating it wasn’t modeled after classic adventure films, but rather the darker, more atmospheric style of 1940s film noir.

A dark and gritty Star Wars series had a lot of promise, but it was canceled due to its high cost – each episode was expected to cost $40 million to make. Although fans didn’t get to experience the complex stories and morally gray characters of Underworld, a new show is now aiming to deliver that kind of experience.

Maul — Shadow Lord Brings A Noir Underworld Story Back To Star Wars TV

The upcoming Star Wars series, Maul — Shadow Lord, will follow Maul as he attempts to rebuild his criminal organization on Janix, a planet the Empire hasn’t reached. Lucasfilm describes the show as having a unique visual style, blending modern animation with classic filmmaking techniques to depict the gritty, urban landscape of Janix. Think of Janix as a new, lower level of Coruscant, where Maul plans to create an even more powerful criminal empire.

The series draws inspiration from classic film noir, presenting a dark and dangerous criminal world. This fits perfectly with Maul’s character, who is morally complex and forces viewers to confront difficult questions. While previously portrayed as a villain, he now takes center stage, though he remains ruthless and willing to use violence – as demonstrated in the trailer by his brutal takedown of Imperial stormtroopers with his red lightsaber.

The dark, gritty atmosphere of Maul – Shadow Lord is strengthened by the introduction of Brander Lawson (Wagner Moura), a former bounty hunter now working as a police detective on the planet Janix. Alongside his droid companion, Two-Boots (Richard Ayoade), Lawson will be tasked with tracking down Maul. Because Janix has remained untouched by the Empire, and Maul could be a powerful defense against them, Lawson may face a tough moral dilemma as he pursues his target.

Unlike the live-action film Underworld, Maul — Shadow Lord is animated. However, it’s expected to successfully bring back the style, mood, world, and ideas from Lucas’s unfinished series—something no other Star Wars show has done before.

Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord begins with a two-episode premiere on April 6, only on Disney+.

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2026-02-05 05:28