If the buzz from Star Wars Celebration Japan is any indication, fans are in for a treat with upcoming animated Star Wars projects. Athena Portillo, Vice President of Animation at Lucasfilm, shared exciting details about two highly anticipated series in an exclusive interview with IGN: the newly announced *Tales of the Underworld* and *Maul: Shadow Lord*.
Portillo expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with Sam Witwer, the iconic voice of Darth Maul, on *Maul: Shadow Lord*. "Sam was deeply involved in developing the character depth and lore, working closely with our head writer and supervising director," she told IGN at Star Wars Celebration Japan. "Together with Lucasfilm CCO Dave Filoni, they crafted Maul's character in animation. Sam has the privilege to review scripts, watch the whip reels, and even see the pool color, providing invaluable input."
While Darth Maul is no stranger to Star Wars fans, *Maul: Shadow Lord* promises a deeper exploration of this enduring villain. Portillo humorously likened Maul to horror icons like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, saying, "Like you keep killing them, but they keep coming back. There is that threat that's there, right? I mean, it's Star Wars, right? So Darth Maul has passed away so many times, but he does keep coming back. ...We are diving into Maul’s history and we get to jump into that in the stories."
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Portillo emphasized the significant advancements in Lucasfilm Animation's production techniques, highlighting improvements in "the animation, the lighting, the effects, the matte paintings, the lighting concepts, the assets." She recounted how Dave Filoni challenged the team post-COVID to push beyond their comfort zones. "When Filoni kicked off the Maul show... he said, 'You all need to pull yourself out of complacency... Being uncomfortable is a good feeling, and it leads you to greater things. So, create something that is an upgrade of what we're used to doing,' both in the animation style such as the body mechanics, facial animation, we updated all of our body rigs, and then all the lighting, everything," she explained. Filoni's recent feedback was overwhelmingly positive, stating, "Wow, you guys, you are actually creating cinema," reflecting his pride in the team's achievements.
Portillo also noted that *Maul: Shadow Lord* represents a significant leap forward from previous projects like *The Bad Batch* and *Tales of the Underworld*. "All of it is an upgrade from what we've done... and we just completed *Tales of the Underworld*. We're releasing *Maul* in 2026, but we're still working on it."
*Tales of the Underworld* will explore the lives of Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane, each receiving three episodes to delve into their villainous journeys. Ventress' story will focus on her rebirth, following the opportunity given by Mother Talzin. "Ventress meets the boy you see in the first short, and it becomes two Jedi on the run, and you'll see like a relationship story created in the three shorts," Portillo shared.
Addressing fan speculation about Ventress' death and rebirth in the *Dark Disciple* novel, Portillo confirmed that *Tales of the Underworld* continues that storyline. "Yeah. My favorite part of that is the whole Quinlan Vos and Ventress connection. When the fans saw that, and when he said, 'I will always love you,' it blew everyone away," she revealed. "I think fans want to see that... especially since Jedi are not supposed to get involved, but there's always that love story. There was the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine story, and obviously Padme and Anakin, and now Ventress and Quinlan Vos. I love those types of stories."
Portillo further discussed Ventress' journey of self-discovery and redemption. "Sometimes after they've gone through a lot, they start to rethink their path, and which way they want to go. Some choose a path of exile in a way, where they don't want to be a part of what their history has been. And then others turn to the dark side, as we've seen," she said. "So, with her story, it's going to be more of, you know, let's just say sometimes people come into your life for a reason to make you a better person, and the character that she meets in this first short is a good balance."
Both *Tales of the Underworld* and *Maul: Shadow Lord* promise to enrich the Star Wars universe in thrilling ways. *Tales of the Underworld* is set to premiere on Disney+ on May 4, 2025, while fans eagerly await further details on the release date for *Maul: Shadow Lord*.
