Star Wars Officially Unveils 2026 Clone Wars Sequel’s New Animation Style

The upcoming 2026 Star Wars series, Maul – Shadow Lord, will be moving away from the animation style that fans loved in The Clone Wars. Announced at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan, the show is a continuation of Darth Maul’s story. A first look revealed a slightly more mature animation style, and recent confirmation indicates this new approach will be consistent throughout the series, marking a departure from The Clone Wars.

I’m so excited for Maul – Shadow Lord! I just learned it’s going to have a completely new animation style when it hits Disney+ next year. It’s amazing to hear that it won’t look like Clone Wars or anything else we’ve seen from Lucasfilm Animation before – they’re really trying something different, and I can’t wait to see it!

The first look at the Clone Wars sequel reveals that Shadow Lord will feature a darker animation style, building upon the original show’s unique and stylized CGI look.

In April 2025, Sam Witwer discussed the upcoming animated series, Maul – Shadow Lord, with CinemaBlend. He explained that the show’s animation will be noticeably bolder and more aggressive, with a rougher, more dangerous look, reflecting the dark and violent perspective of the main character.

Dave Filoni explained that the animation will feel familiar to fans of The Clone Wars, but with a slightly more intense and dangerous look, reflecting Darth Maul’s point of view. It’s a bit sharper and more visually aggressive.

The show’s visual style reflects Darth Maul’s cruel personality and dark outlook, particularly as actor Sam Witwer confirmed in November 2025 that the series will show the Empire’s beginnings through Maul’s eyes. This unique animation helps tell Maul’s story in Shadow Lord and also sets it apart from the previous series.

Created by Dave Filoni, Maul – Shadow Lord continues the story of the character Maul after the Jedi Order has fallen, as seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Sam Witwer will reprise his voice role as Maul, but the rest of the cast hasn’t been announced yet. The series is scheduled to debut on Disney+ in 2026.

Maul’s Animation Style Offers Plenty of Reasons for the Show to Succeed

The upcoming animation style of Maul – Shadow Lord promises to capture the character’s brutal side, which is a strong sign that the series will be a hit.

Giving the Clone Wars sequel a fresh animation style would immediately help it feel unique, but the story would still be the most important part, especially with Dave Filoni leading the creative vision.

Star Wars isn’t just known for its films; it consistently delivers excellent animated series like The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch. The upcoming series, Maul – Shadow Lord, looks to continue this trend. The creators are focusing on developing an animation style that perfectly captures Maul’s unique character and perspective for viewers.

The fresh animation style in Maul – Shadow Lord could be a turning point for Star Wars animation, and it gives Lucasfilm Animation a chance to refine its look for the future.

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2025-12-22 03:35