As if Darth Maul wasn’t already angry enough, the team behind Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has revealed they infused his double-bladed lightsaber with the blood-curdling screams of actor Sam Witwer.
Lucasfilm gave fans a peek into the effort it put into fleshing out the darkest parts of its universe in a new behind-the-scenes video published recently. It’s a two-and-a-half-minute look at how the longtime Darth Maul actor contributed his body and mind to help craft a version of a fan-favorite character filled with more rage than ever.
Witwer played the vengeful Sith throughout the 2010s in spinoff projects like Solo: A Star Wars Story, Rebels, and Star Wars: Battlefront 2. Maul – Shadow Lord is the first time he’s gotten to portray the character in a standalone outing, though, and judging by today’s footage, he tried to make the most of it.
step into the shadows.
Get a glimpse behind the scenes of Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, now streaming only on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/X1ZuYVHqQK
— Star Wars (@starwars) April 9, 2026
Just one example showed Witwer donning Darth Maul’s face markings while providing reference videos for the team. It’s not exactly the kind of thing viewers may have picked up on when watching the first two episodes, which premiered April 6. What some may have noticed, however, is the rough sound his red lightsaber makes as it literally roars into his enemies.
Lucasfilm said fans can “actually hear the sound of Sam’s screaming built into the saber,” as the footage highlights moments where the weapon’s red glow is accompanied by the all-too familiar screams of the show’s title character. Besides his iconic presence in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul is known for being one of the angrier characters in fiction.
It’s a status that has come with a lot of scenes featuring him grunting and screaming through the years. Now, the same level of vocal work put into his iconic “Kenobi!” cry from Rebels has been infused into his lightsaber.
Maul – Shadow Lord is the latest Clone Wars-style spinoff on Disney+. Its next two episodes will premiere April 13, with two more set to follow each Monday until the finale premieres on Star Wars Day, May 4. You can see why we thought Season 1 deserved an 8/10 review here.
For more, you can read up on what Witwer said he would do to see a return for his The Force Unleashed character, Starkiller. You can also check out our list of the top 10 most anticipated TV shows of April 2026.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
