The first season of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord wrapped up its 10-episode run on Disney+ this past May, leaving the fandom buzzing about the future of the iconic former Sith. Now, voice actor and franchise veteran Sam Witwer is opening up about what lies ahead.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Pause for Thought podcast, Witwer offered some intriguing, early insights into Maul: Shadow Lord Season 2 while challenging future Star Wars storytellers to break the mold and embrace creative experimentation.
Why Star Wars Must Take Bold Risks
Witwer didn’t hold back when discussing the broader health of the franchise, echoing sentiments previously shared by Andor creator Tony Gilroy. To capture changing theatrical and streaming audiences, Witwer believes Lucasfilm cannot afford to play it safe.
“You have to take creative risks,” Witwer explained. “It’s like the Maul character—if you’re not taking risks with the Maul character, do something really new with him, you should not be taking the character out… And I think it’s the same thing with Star Wars in general.”
Acknowledging that swinging for the fences means some projects won’t appeal to everyone, he emphasized that a “spirit of experimentation” is exactly how the franchise evolves.
“At the end of the day, it is all about risk-taking, and I think as audience members—as a fan myself, I accept that if you are taking swings, that means that [you’re] not gonna connect with everything,” he admitted.
A Total Paradigm Shift for Season 2
That risk-taking philosophy is driving the development of Maul: Shadow Lord Season 2. While the project has been in development for some time, Witwer teased that the team is following the classic George Lucas blueprint: making the sophomore season feel like an entirely different beast.
“In the George Lucas mold, we end up—it’s kind of like a different show, a new show,” Witwer teased. “In the same way that The Empire Strikes Back is much, much different than A New Hope.”
While core narrative threads and characters like Devon Izara will continue, the story will feature a noticeable time jump following the events of the Season 1 finale.
Pitching a Darth Maul Video Game
Beyond the animated series, Witwer has his eyes on expanding Maul’s footprint in the galaxy, specifically through gaming. He revealed that he is eager to collaborate with writer Matt Michnovetz (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor) to explore other eras of Maul’s life.
Witwer noted that Maul’s journey fits perfectly into a gaming format: “There could be a great story that takes place before or after [Maul – Shadow Lord] Season 2 with Maul that would fit what you would need for a video game, including the ability to start with a low power level and to raise your power level through the game, something like that.”
The Art of Star Wars Dialogue
Witwer also pulled back the curtain on the show’s writing process, specifically how supervising director Brad Rau and Michnovetz craft dialogue that avoids being too expositional. The goal is always to keep the audience guessing rather than spelling everything out.
“I’ve learned so much about Star Wars dialogue,” Witwer shared. “Brad and Matt do a great job of [streamlining things], and it becomes something really [great] that just sparks your imagination. You don’t want to be Vlad the Explainer!”
While Lucasfilm has yet to officially confirm a release date, indicators point to a potential 2027 window for the next chapter.
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