The former Sith apprentice and the Underworld power player are making his animation returns.
Get ready for Star Wars: Mall – Shadow Road in the animated series! This new series was officially announced on the 20th anniversary of Star Wars Celebration Japan’s Lucasfilm Animation Panel. It was also announced that actor and voice artist Sam Whitwor will be reprising his acclaimed role as Darth Mall. The show is currently in production and is scheduled to premiere at Disney+ in 2026.
Wittwor, who first voiced the Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebel characters, made a surprise appearance on a panel in Tokyo to announce his return. “We learn a few different things about this character,” Whitwor said on stage. “He has a few different traits that he doesn’t necessarily think he thinks to make full sense from what he has experienced.”
New chapters in the mall
Set about a year after the events of the Clone Wars, Shadow Lord recovers from defeat at the hands of Ahsoka and recovers from defeat to rebuild the criminal empire. Witt simply said it: “He’s dusting himself a bit.”
Vice Presidents of Lucasfilm Cco Dave Filoni and Animation Athena Portillo were also present, revealing indoor-only sneak peaks. Celebrating 20 years of Lucasfilm animation, the Sizzle Reel ended with what appears to be footage from Shadow Road, raged the celebratory crowd. A brief glimpse reportedly showed that Maul trained Twi’lek’s apprentice. This is the future dozen.
Speaking on the post-presentation panel, Portillo teased the creative process behind the scenes. “Unfortunately, I can’t say much about it, but all I can say is that Sam Witwer’s involvement in the show is untouched,” she said. “We’re very excited to be able to review the script and provide input to all of it. Dave Fironi and Sam have created animated characters, so it’s very important to hear his thoughts on the depth of the character as well.”
The legacy continued
The series is another step in expanding Star Wars’ animated legacy, with Shadow Road continuing his mall arc beyond his appearance in films and animated series. First introduced in the Phantom Menace in 1999, The Horned Sith Warrior became one of the franchise’s most fascinating antagonists through projects such as the Clone Wars, the Rebels and his short returns in solo.
Along with Shadow Road’s Mall, fans can expect to dive deeper into the underworld and spirit of one of Star Wars’ most enduring villains. And it’s clear that Sam Whitwer is behind the voice again, and the series is in a very familiar hand.
Watch the nearly 20-minute chat with Witwer and Portillo on Star Wars Celebration.
