Despite dying in his first on-screen appearance, Darth Maul has become a key character in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul was an instantly iconic figure for his memorable design, double-bladed lightsaber, and impressive acrobatics. However, he also seemed doomed to be consigned to the list of Star Wars characters who look cool but don't get to do all that much when he was killed off at the end of the film.
Brought back thanks to Solo: A Star Wars Story. With Maul dead again after Star Wars Rebels, his chronological future seemingly doesn't exist, but that doesn't mean he can't or won't appear again.
Similarly, there's also the question of who will play Maul in future appearances, at least live-action, with any potential return for Ray Park in doubt following controversy around an explicit post on his Instagram page, although little has been confirmed yet. But whether Park does return, someone else takes the role (like voice actor Sam Witwer), or his appearances are limited to animation, Maul should have a future in Star Wars. Here are all the potential ways the character could return to the screen, either big or small, in the next few years.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
The follow-up to The Clone Wars, Order 66 and Palpatine's ascendency. Since Maul survived the Clone Wars and lives for several more years, he should be rather active in this time period. By Solo, which is roughly 8-9 years away from The Bad Batch, the Crimson Dawn will be in full swing, so he should be putting it together around this time.
Maul wouldn't be the focus of The Bad Batch, but featuring in the show makes sense. Not only is he a real draw, but it fits with the timeline and creator Dave Filoni's M.O, which frequently sees characters appearing and re-emerging in all of his animated shows. The Clone Wars and brought back in Rebels, it'd be surprising if he didn't return here too, not least with so many more gaps left in his story, just waiting to be filled.
Obi-Wan Kenobi TV Series
Looking at what's confirmed to be on the Star Wars slate, the other show that offers some real potential for a Maul return is Disney+'s 8 years after Revenge of the Sith, following Obi-Wan living in exile on Tatooine. At this point, Maul would not only be active, but Crimson Dawn would be a much more established organisation. Tatooine itself has a heavy crime presence at this point thanks to groups like the Hutt Clan, which was previously aligned with Maul's Shadow Collective.
If this aspect plays a part in the series - and it fits, given the location and timeline - then it's possible Maul could factor in as he looks to further expand Crimson Dawn's reach, perhaps by trying to either work with (or take over) the Hutts. On top of that, though, is the character's burning desire for revenge against Obi-Wan. That's ultimately what leads to Maul's death in Star Wars Rebels, but there's scope for another, hitherto unmentioned meeting to occur. Since this is live-action, it would remain to be seen if Park takes on the role (as he did in Solo), or if Disney recasts, but that wouldn't be a barrier in any way.
Other Star Wars Movies & Shows Maul Could Appear In
While both The Bad Batch and Obi-Wan are confirmed, as is a Rogue One prequel centering on Cassian Andor (which sounds less fitting for a Maul appearance), much of Star Wars' future is in a state of flux following The Rise of Skywalker. There's not another movie until 2023, and even then no details are known beyond its release date. With two further release dates staked out, it's theoretically possible one of them would allow for Maul's movie return, but it's impossible to predict right now.
Because of that, Star Wars' future is on Disney+ for the foreseeable, and it's an area Lucasfilm will continue to grow. There have been various rumors about what other characters will get the Disney+ treatment, including Alden Ehrenreich returning for a Han Solo show, a Donald Glover-led Lando series, or one featuring Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra. All should be taken with a pinch of salt, but there is some fan demand for Solo's story to continue, and streaming offers a perhaps more viable option for that.
If any of these happen - and in particular a more direct Solo follow-up - then given Maul's Solo cameo, he would surely have to return in some capacity. The tease of his character was obviously a hint of bigger things to come, albeit one that never paid off because of the movie's box office failure. If Qi'ra were to be seen again - and Han, since their own stories are linked - then Maul would to as well, which means viewers could be taken to Dathomir (where Qi'ra was headed at the end of Solo). Maul would likely remain in the shadows still, given Palpatine's control of the galaxy is firmly established at this point, but it would still have plenty of opportunity to show him pulling the strings. That might be something Star Wars eventually sheds more light on, but for now there are still two confirmed properties where Maul has a great chance of returning.
