After returning to the role he originated nearly 20 years prior for “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” things seemed bright for Ray Park’s future as Darth Maul. When asked by Nerdist in 2018 if there was any potential for more Maul, he stated, “I hope so. I’m wishing … that would be another big dream come true, to get a phone call again.” And when the time comes, Park will be more than ready, with the actor continuing, “I’m still training really hard and actually, my training now is just in case.”
Despite keeping his good looks intact for such a possibility, not much has manifested from the surprise cameo. But some near opportunities did present themselves. The book “Star Wars Archives: 1999-2005” contained George Lucas’ initial plans for the sequel trilogy. In it, Maul would have taken Emperor Palpatine’s place as the series’ overarching antagonist with the Sith Lord Darth Talon set to be his apprentice.
More recently, rumors spread that Maul was set to play a part in the 2022 Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” with further hearsay even indicating that Park was actively preparing for a return. The show reportedly would have seen Maul on the hunt for Obi-Wan and a young Luke Skywalker, resulting in a rematch between Sith and Jedi. However, there were concerns that the series was shaping up to mirror “The Mandalorian” too closely and more focus was put on Darth Vader as a result. Contradictory statements exist as to Park’s involvement; some say progress went as far as to include test footage while others have denied Maul’s comeback completely.
