A new rumor claims that Disney and Lucasfilm are developing a new Darth Maul centric animated series that will feature Paul Bettany’s Dryden Vos from Solo: A Star Wars Story.
This rumor comes from Cinelinx that reports, “A pair of independent sources who tell me that DARTH MAUL will be the focus of a new animated series.”
The website adds, “While they both mentioned Maul, one source specifically mentioned it was a show about his time running Crimson Dawn BEFORE Solo: A Star Wars Story. ”
As for Bettany, the report states, “I have even heard Paul Bettany is expected to come back to voice Dryden Vos.”
Maul’s story has been extensively showcased in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels after he was first introduced in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
However, it appeared Lucasfilm had plans to further explore the character following Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Towards the end of the film, Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra makes contact with Maul, who is revealed to be the power behind Vos’ Crimson Dawn syndicate, telling him, “I regret to inform you that Dryden Vos is dead, murdered by the thief he hired to steal the coaxium shipment his friend, Tobias Beckett.”
After declaring he would seek out the traitor Beckett and his accomplices, Maul tells Qi’ra, “Qi’ra, you and I will be working much more closely from now on.”
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Outside of Solo, Maul formed the Shadow Collective a collection of criminal gangs that included the Pyke Syndicate, the Hutt Clan, the Black Sun, the Crimson Dawn, and even members of the Mandalorian terrorist organization, Death Watch.
Maul’s formation and leadership of the Shadow Collective were highlighted during Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The Shadow Collective came about after he and his brother Savage Opress were discovered and nursed back to health by Pre Vizsla and the Death Watch.
From there Maul formed an alliance with Death Watch and proceeded to recruit the Black Sun and the Pyke Syndicate to their banner. They then used brute force to bring the Hutt Clan into their growing organization as well. The two brothers would also later add the Morubas crime family to the Shadow Collective.
Maul would steadily increase not only his personal power in the Dark Side, but also the Shadow Collective’s power as they were eventually able to take control of Mandalore. However, he and Opress would be betrayed by Pre Vizsla and locked away in Mandalore.
The two would eventually escape and Maul would challenge Vizsla to single combat where he easily defeated the Death Watch leader and claimed the Darksaber as his prize.
Maul’s reign over Mandalore would not last for long. Darth Sidious would eventually arrive on the planet and challenge Maul’s authority.
In the ensuing battle, Sidious would kill Opress and defeat Maul. After his defeat, Sidious imprisoned Maul in the Spire on Stygeon Prime.
Maul would eventually be rescued by loyal members of Death Watch and he would attempt to rebuild his power base. However, Sidious would use Separatist forces led by Count Dooku and General Grievous. They easily crushed Maul’s forces, but allowed Maul and his forces to retreat in the hopes of Maul exposing Mother Talzin.
Maul would indeed contact Mother Talzin, but she and Maul set a trap for Dooku and Grievous on Ord Mantell. There Maul with his Shadow Collective forces defeated the Separatists and was even able to capture Dooku and Grievous.
However, Republic forces led by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Aayla Secura, Mace Windu, and Tiplee tracked Maul down and forced him and Dooku to flee to Dathomir. Grievous would find other means of escape.
On Dathomir, Dooku would be offered as a sacrifice in an attempt to allow Talzin to take a physical form again. However, the ritual was interrupted by Sidious and Grievous. Talzin would be slain by Grievous and Maul was forced to flee.
He would eventually launch a new plan returning to Mandalore with the Death Watch, but staying hidden. He would orchestrate the Shadow Collective from there.
However, The Shadow Collective would eventually be crushed when Ahsoka Tano, Bo-Katan Kryze, and a battalion of clone troopers led by Commander Rex besieged the planet. Maul would be defeated by Tano in single combat and imprisoned in a Mandalorian vault where he was to be transported to Coruscant.
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Maul would eventually escape when Sidious enacted Order 66 and the clones operating the ship transporting him to Coruscant attempted to kill Tano. After escaping Imperial control, Maul assumed control of Crimson Dawn on Dathomir and began hunting for a Sith holocron.
He would eventually locate it on Malachor, but his control over Crimson Dawn would fade as he would be trapped on the planet for several years until he came into contact with Ezra Bridger.
So there’s probably a couple of different moments in time they could showcase stories of Maul if it’s supposed to be about his time running Crimson Dawn.
However, one still has to wonder why they would do a Darth Maul series given the character has been significantly fleshed out over two other animated series as well as extensively in comics as well.
What do you make of this new rumor? Are you interested in a Darth Maul animated series?