CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
As far as film franchises go, there are none quite as beloved as Star Wars. George Lucas changed the industry forever with his original trilogy of movies, and the property has since grown to include 11 movies as well as various TV shows. While Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney ahead of the sequel trilogy coming out, it turns out that George Lucas' original vision for the movies had major plans for the villainous Darth Maul.
Darth Maul made his Star Wars debut in The Phantom Menace, and was immediately embraced by the generations of fans. While he didn't say much, the Sith apprentice was a badass with a double-ended lightsaber. And the character was later fleshed out in the Clone Wars animated series. And while he recently made a brief cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, it turns out that George Lucas had him in mind for the main villain of the sequels.
This information comes to us from the new book Star Wars Archives (via Reddit). An excerpt from that book recently went viral, especially regarding George Lucas' original plans for Leia and Darth Maul. According to said book, Lucas wanted the sequel's main villains to be both Darth Maul and his apprentice Darth Talon. While Talon never made it into live-action, she's an iconic villain from the Star Wars comic books.
While the information about this planned plot line is limited, hardcore fans are sure to have strong reactions (and FOMO) regarding the scrapped plans for Maul and his apprentice Darth Talon. While The Phantom Menace was his only major appearance on the big screen, the villain remains one of the most iconic figured from the prequel trilogy. And seeing him as the big bad of the sequels definitely would have been exciting.
The Star Wars franchise is currently streaming in its entirety on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
In the end, Maul was noticeably missing from the sequel trilogy, which George Lucas wasn't involved in at all. J.J. Abrams directed two of those installments, creating a slew of new characters in the process. And rather than focusing on Maul, the main antagonist of the trilogy was Adam Driver's Kylo Ren. Of course, The Rise of Skywalker would also include another iconic Sith in the form of Palpatine.
Star Wars fans might be disappointed to learn that Maul and his protegee could have had a major role in the sequel trilogy. While his time on the big screen was limited, the villain has a rich history thanks to the comics and Clone Wars series. And there's no telling how deadly and badass Darth Talon would have been in live-action.
While Maul wasn't in the sequel trilogy, the character did recently return to the big screen for a brief cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Ron Howard's movie revealed that Maul was actually at the head of Crimson Dawn, with Emilia Clarke's Qi'ra setting course to rendezvous with the Sith Lord. This was obviously an exciting set-up for a sequel, but given Solo's poor box office performance there's no telling if/when that might actually happen.
The Star Wars franchise is continuing to grow thanks to The Mandalorian on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.
