Though Lucasfilm has been putting a hiatus on theatrical Star Wars movies, a TV resurgence on Disney+ has gone full-steam ahead. The Mandalorian effectively became the platform's flagship show and kicked off a mini-cinematic universe. However, the animation is something that's here to stay for the franchise, with The Bad Batch getting a second season and a rumored animated Maul series.
The potential show is allegedly called Crimson Dawn, which ties into Solo: A Star Wars Story and Maul's time leading it before the events of the movie. The former Sith Lord became especially loved by fans after Dave Filoni fleshed him out as a character, leaving fans on Reddit excitedly speculating.
Matt Lanter's Role
Fans came to love Matt Lanter's work as the voice actor for Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars series, and it appears he'll have a role in this possible Maul series. The actor has said in the past that his Anakin would return but it's peculiar to think what his part would be in the alleged Crimson Dawn.
At this point, Anakin is firmly in his descent as Darth Vader so, on its surface, it doesn't seem like his old self would have much of a part to play this far into the timeline. Redditor the_star_wars_dude speculates that either Lanter returns as Anakin during Maul's vision of him, or the actor is voicing a different character entirely. Maul has become one of Star Wars' best villains, but any role Vader/Anakin might have should ideally be kept small.
Maul Building His Final Lightsaber
Fans know that Maul had had several memorable lightsaber duels starting when he held the title "Darth." His fight with Qui-Gon Jinn and a young Obi-Wan is among the best, but his lightsabers have gone through wear-and-tear over the years. Maul and his lightsaber were cut in half and lost the other half partway through The Clone Wars.
Though, fans never saw him receive his final saber seen until his death at Obi-Wan's hands during Rebels. That's why Redditor the_star_wars_dude also suggests the possibility of seeing Maul get that saber from a Sith Inquisitor. Given the hilt fans see the villain use in Rebels, this would make an interesting plot point.
A Return For Qi'ra & Han
Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra sparked the most speculation on a story continuation after Solo was released. But since it was an anthology movie and commercially failed -- despite a moderately positive critical reception -- that plot thread remains unresolved. Qi'ra is arguably the character from the movie that deserves a spin-off Disney+ show the most.
This possible Maul Crimson Dawn animated series might put that into question, but Redditor th_squirrel notes that this story wouldn't negate any future projects involving both her or Alden Ehrenreich's Han Solo. With what's going on with Qi'ra, Han, and the Crimson Dawn in Star Wars comics, it could still be something talked about at Lucasfilm behind closed doors.
Maul Stranded On Malachor
While Maul's character arc is primarily filled with the main story beats, some noticeable gaps remain. After he attempted to retrieve a Sith Holocron from a temple, his ship was wrecked and left him stranded on Malachor for years.
User the_star_wars_dude suggests a show with the villain as the main character could flesh this out, as The Clone Wars finale, Maul's Solo cameo, and Rebels starting with him on Malachor leaves plenty of space to work with. That's especially true if this series becomes a multi-season project for the long run.
Crossover With The Bad Batch Season 2
Disney+ started its transition of Star Wars animations by reviving The Clone Wars' seventh and final season. The Bad Batch was then released this year as a spinoff focusing on the experimental band of clones. The timing of the shows' productions and in-universe timeline have Redditor's like Revolutionary_Yak_67 convinced that the plot developments of Maul's potential show could carry over into the confirmed season 2 of The Bad Batch.
Things could line up narratively with the latter series touching on the Pykes. It's one of the galaxy's prominent crime syndicates, and Maul has been known for dealing with the Star Wars criminal underworld.
Explore Maul's Youth Under Darth Sidious
Though this rumored show will touch on his life as the head of Crimson Dawn, having Maul as the main character opens the door for more exploration of his past. A sort of origin story of him training to become a Sith Lord as a side plot would be more than worthy material.
Redditor DarthDuran22 thinks that showing his youth training under Darth Sidious/Palpatine via flashbacks should be a given with this show's premise. It would make for a gritty and compelling arc if it shows Sidious taking the young Dathomirian to Malachor for brutal training in the Dark Side. This could even give fans a glimpse at the Great Scourge of Malachor that happened thousands of years prior.
His Confrontation With Vader
While Anakin Skywalker is still "dead and buried" at this point in continuity, setting up a confrontation between Darth Vader and Maul would be a thrilling climax. Whether this show ends up becoming more than one season or sticks to being a limited series, it would make an excellent boiling point heading toward the end of a season.
Though Maul hates his former master too, Vader effectively replacing him dug him further into rabid malice. DarthDuran22 also suggests that the two should finally meet, which would provide even more context and impact to Maul's already-resonant arc. Darth Vader has many moments showing his overpowering strength, but it would be a great landmark in Maul's story nonetheless.
Going Past Solo's Timeline
The prime topic fans want to see addressed in Crimson Dawn would be how Maul ends up stranded on Malachor. It's reported to predate the events of Solo, but there's more in the cards for this show, then it could eventually pass the movie's story. Redditor TheMightyBoushh wonders if Qi'ra will also make an appearance in Crimson Dawn.
The comics seem to be setting her and the criminal underworld up for more in the future, but this animated series could show fans what happened when they met on Dathomir. Subsequently, it could also show how Qi'ra became the new leader of Crimson Dawn. Given the show will be animated, perhaps Lucasfilm could start by having Clarke return to provide the voice.
Return Of Dryden Vos
The primary villain of Solo: A Star Wars Story was Paul Bettany's Dryden Vos. Vos was killed at the end of the movie, but since this show would be a soft prelude to the events of Solo, he's another character that's viable to return. Redditor JimmytheGent2020 wonders if Lucasfilm would go the lengths to bring Bettany back to play Dryden Vos, and another replies that the actor did mention he'd be open to playing him again.
Bettany's role in Marvel's animated What If...? could lend further credence to his openness to voice acting. Meanwhile, Vos did also make a cameo as a hologram in The Clone Wars season 7.
Son Of Dathomir Adaptation
Even though Star Wars isn't well-known for adapting book material, an exception could be made for Crimson Dawn. Son of Dathomir was a (canon) Marvel Comics series that collected unproduced scripts for The Clone Wars' season 6. Redditor Legofan2001 thinks the early episodes of Crimson Dawn could do an adaptation, making it a perfect excuse to do so.
It would be a great way to set the tone of the series, especially since the comics feature some of the villain's best lightsaber duels. Son of Dathomir is broken up into parts, comprised of stories involving Maul confronting Darth Sidious, Count Dooku, and even General Grievous.