Lucasfilm Animation VP Discusses Underworld Tales and Maul: Shadow Lord: 'A New Level of Animation'

Star Wars fans are in for a treat with the upcoming animated projects announced at Star Wars Celebration Japan. Athena Portillo, Vice President of Animation at Lucasfilm, shared insights with IGN about two highly anticipated series: *Tales of the Underworld* and *Maul: Shadow Lord*. These projects promise to deepen the Star Wars universe with compelling narratives and enhanced visual storytelling.

Portillo expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with Sam Witwer, the voice behind Darth Maul, on *Maul: Shadow Lord*. "Sam was deeply involved in developing the character depth and lore alongside our head writer and supervising director," she told IGN. "He's integral to Maul's character because he and [Lucasfilm CCO Dave] Filoni co-created the character in animation. Sam gets to review scripts, watch the whip reels, and provide input on everything from the pool color to the final product."

Darth Maul's journey from a supporting villain to a Star Wars icon is a fascinating one. 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 threat that's always there, right? I mean, it's Star Wars, right? So Darth Maul has passed away so many times, but he does keep coming back. We are diving into Maul’s history and exploring that in the stories."

How Darth Maul Went From Supporting Villain to Star Wars Icon

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Portillo highlighted the significant advancements in Lucasfilm Animation's production techniques, emphasizing improvements in animation, lighting, effects, matte paintings, lighting concepts, and assets. "When Filoni kicked off the Maul show after Covid, he challenged the team to step out of their comfort zones," she explained. "He said, 'You all need to pull yourself out of complacency, you all need to pull yourself out of your comfort level. Being uncomfortable is a good feeling, and it leads you to greater things. So, create something that is an upgrade of what we're used to doing.' This has resulted in enhanced body mechanics, facial animation, updated body rigs, and superior lighting. Filoni himself remarked after watching one of our episodes, 'Wow, you guys, you are actually creating cinema.' He was proud of what Lucasfilm Animation has achieved with this show."

Portillo added, "All of it is an upgrade from what we've done, and even from *The Bad Batch*, even from *Tales of the Underworld*, it's an upgrade, and we just completed *Tales of the Underworld*. We're releasing *Maul* in 2026, but we're still working on it."

*Tales of the Underworld* will delve into the lives of Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane, with three episodes dedicated to each character, totaling six. Portillo detailed Ventress' storyline, saying, "Ventress' three shorts will center around the fact that Mother Talzin gave her an opportunity to come back. Ventress meets a boy in the first short, and it becomes a tale of two Jedi on the run, creating a relationship story across the three shorts."

Ventress' resurrection, hinted at in the *Dark Disciple* novel, is confirmed to be canon in *Tales of the Underworld*. Portillo shared her favorite aspect of the series, "The whole Quinlan Vos and Ventress connection. When the fans saw that, and when he said, 'I will always love you,' it blew everyone away. I think fans want to see that, especially since Jedi are not supposed to get involved, but there's always that love story. There was the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine story, and obviously Padme and Anakin, and now Ventress and Quinlan Vos. I love those types of stories."

She also discussed Ventress' journey of self-discovery, "Sometimes after they've gone through a lot, they start to rethink their path, and which way they want to go. Some choose a path of exile in a way, where they don't want to be a part of what their history has been. And then others turn to the dark side, as we've seen. With her story, it's going to be more of, you know, let's just say sometimes people come into your life for a reason to make you a better person, and the character that she meets in this first short is a good balance."

Both *Tales of the Underworld* and *Maul: Shadow Lord* are poised to enrich the Star Wars saga. *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*.