Lucasfilm VP Unveils New Projects: Tales, Maul Stories

If Star Wars Celebration Japan is any indication, we're in for an abundance of animated Star Wars content in the coming years. Athena Portillo, Lucasfilm's Vice President of Animation, revealed exciting details about two upcoming series - the newly announced Tales of the Underworld and Maul: Shadow Lord - during an exclusive IGN interview.

Portillo expressed particular enthusiasm about collaborating with Sam Witwer, who has long voiced Darth Maul in Star Wars animations, on Maul: Shadow Lord. "Sam contributed significantly to character development and lore alongside our head writer and supervising director," she told IGN at Star Wars Celebration Japan. "Having helped create the animated version of Maul with Dave Filoni, he provides valuable input on scripts, pre-visualizations, and color grading."

A Deep Dive Into the Galaxy's Most Resilient Villain

While Maul has appeared numerous times across the franchise, this marks the first dedicated exploration of his story. "I jokingly compare him to horror icons like Michael Myers - no matter how many times he's defeated, he always returns," Portillo remarked. "We're finally delving into Maul's complete history through these new stories."

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Portillo emphasized the significant technical advancements in their animation pipeline: "Post-Covid, Filoni challenged our team to push beyond comfort zones. We've upgraded everything - from character rigging to lighting systems - creating what he now calls 'animated cinema.' The quality leap surpasses even The Bad Batch and our recently completed Tales of the Underworld."

Tales of the Underworld will present six character-focused episodes - three each for Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane. Ventress' arc explores her post-Dark Disciple journey, picking up after her apparent demise. "Her storyline connects with Quinlan Vos' emotional confession, which deeply resonated with fans," Portillo noted. "We're continuing that narrative thread while examining how she processes her past."

The series will debut with Ventress meeting a pivotal new character. "Sometimes individuals enter your life to facilitate growth," Portillo hinted. "This relationship challenges Ventress to reconsider her path in compelling ways."

Mark your calendars for Tales of the Underworld on Disney+ (May 4, 2025), with Maul: Shadow Lord following in 2026. Both projects promise to expand Star Wars mythology through groundbreaking animation and compelling character studies.