Lucasfilm Animation VP Discusses Tales of the Underworld and Maul: Shadow Lord: 'An Upgrade'

If 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 in an exclusive interview with IGN about two highly anticipated series: the newly announced Tales of the Underworld and Maul: Shadow Lord.

Portillo expressed her enthusiasm about collaborating with Sam Witwer, the iconic voice of Darth Maul in Star Wars animated projects, 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. "He's been integral to Maul's character since he and [Lucasfilm CCO Dave] Filoni co-created him in animation. Sam reviews scripts, watches the whip reels, and provides valuable input on the color palette."

This isn't the first time we've seen Maul, but Maul: Shadow Lord promises to delve deeper into the story of this enduring villain. Portillo humorously likened Maul to horror icons like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, noting, "Like you keep killing them, but they keep coming back. There is that constant threat, right? I mean, it's Star Wars, so Darth Maul has died multiple times, yet he always returns. We're exploring Maul's history and jumping into his stories."

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Portillo emphasized the significant enhancements in Lucasfilm Animation's production process, highlighting improvements in "the animation, the lighting, the effects, the matte paintings, the lighting concepts, and the assets." She explained that after the challenges of Covid, Dave Filoni encouraged the team to push beyond their comfort zones. "When Filoni kicked off the Maul show, he urged everyone to step out of complacency and strive for something greater," she said. "We've upgraded our animation style, including body mechanics, facial animation, and lighting. After watching one of our episodes, Filoni remarked, 'Wow, you guys, you are actually creating cinema.' He was proud of what Lucasfilm Animation has achieved with this show."

Portillo added, "Everything is an upgrade from our previous work, including The Bad Batch and Tales of the Underworld. We've just completed Tales of the Underworld and are set to release Maul: Shadow Lord in 2026, but we're still refining it."

Tales of the Underworld will follow Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane as they navigate their villainous paths, with three episodes dedicated to each character, totaling six. Ventress' storyline will focus on "the fact that Mother Talzin gave her an opportunity to come back," according to Portillo. "Ventress meets a boy in the first short, and it becomes a tale of two Jedi on the run, developing a relationship over the three episodes."

Ventress' resurrection, hinted at in the Dark Disciple novel, is confirmed to be canon in Tales of the Underworld. Portillo shared, "My favorite part is the connection between Quinlan Vos and Ventress. When fans saw Vos say, 'I will always love you,' it was a powerful moment. Fans crave these stories, especially since Jedi are not supposed to get involved, but there's always that love story, like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine, or Padme and Anakin, and now Ventress and Quinlan Vos."

Portillo also discussed Ventress' journey of self-discovery, noting, "After going through a lot, some characters rethink their path. Some choose exile, distancing themselves from their past, while others turn to the dark side. Ventress' story will explore how certain people enter your life to help you become a better person, and the character she meets in the first short provides a good balance."

Both series promise to enrich the Star Wars universe. Tales of the Underworld is set to premiere on Disney+ on May 4, 2025, while fans eagerly await the release date for Maul: Shadow Lord.