Star Wars Confirms 7 Major Villains Appearing In 2026 Movies & Shows

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Over the next couple of years, Star Wars will feature a number of truly frightening villains in its films and series. We’ve already seen many iconic Star Wars bad guys return recently, showcasing the strength and depth of the franchise’s collection of villains.

In 2026, fans can expect at least seven villains to appear in new Star Wars movies and TV shows. After a seven-year break, the Star Wars universe is gearing up for a series of exciting releases over the next eight months. Alongside beloved heroes like Ahsoka Tano and Din Djarin, they’ll face some formidable new enemies.

Every Villain Confirmed for 2026 Star Wars Movies & TV Shows

Darth Maul

Darth Maul, who first appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in 1999, is getting his own series on Disney+. Called Maul: Shadow Lord, the show continues the story of the popular character from the animated series The Clone Wars. It begins shortly after the events of Order 66 and will be available on Disney+ starting April 6th.

The upcoming show will follow Maul as he travels the galaxy, dodging authorities and training a new follower. Though specific details are still under wraps, fans can expect to see Maul wielding his signature double-bladed lightsaber and wreaking havoc as he pursues more power.

Embo

The upcoming movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu (scheduled for 2026), will feature the return of Embo, a popular character from The Clone Wars. First appearing in Season 2, Episode 17 of The Clone Wars, Embo was a highly skilled and ruthless bounty hunter capable of battling even Jedi and Sith.

Okay, so I’m really excited about this – Embo, that awesome bounty hunter, is coming back in the new Mandalorian and Grogu movie! Apparently, Dave Filoni – yes, the Dave Filoni who’s president of Lucasfilm – is going to voice him again, which is a cool detail considering Embo didn’t have a ton of lines in The Clone Wars. We haven’t seen much of him in the trailers, but everything points to him playing a big role when the movie finally lands in theaters on May 22nd. I can’t wait!

Shadow Council

The upcoming season of The Mandalorian and Grogu will feature the return of both Embo and the shadowy Shadow Council. This secretive group was first seen in Season 3, Episode 7 of The Mandalorian, meeting with Moff Gideon. They aim to disrupt the New Republic’s rebuilding efforts and restore the Empire to power following the Battle of Endor.

This group appeared briefly in a trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, meeting as a council to strategize their next move. It seems they’re trying to capture Grogu, possibly to restart cloning efforts for Emperor Palpatine’s planned revival.

Thrawn

As a huge Star Wars fan, I was so excited to finally see Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn in live-action with Ahsoka Season 1! He was already one of my favorite villains from Star Wars Rebels – I loved his performance as the main bad guy in Seasons 3 and 4. It was amazing to see him bring that same brilliance to live-action, plotting to conquer the galaxy with his powerful forces.

Grand Admiral Thrawn will be back in Season 2 of Ahsoka, determined to regain control after being stranded in Peridea for years. He’s become even more of a threat, having trapped Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren in a different galaxy as he works to restore the Empire to its former power.

Baylan Skoll

Okay, so I was really hooked by that villain, Lord Baylan Skoll, in the first season of Ahsoka. And get this – he’s coming back for season two! It’s bittersweet though, because Ray Stevenson, who played him originally, sadly passed away. But the show’s bringing in Rory McCann – you might recognize him from Jumanji: The Next Level – to take on the role. I’m really curious to see what he brings to the character!

Skoll began as a Jedi Knight and military leader, but he lived through the devastating attack on the Jedi. He then joined forces with Morgan Elsbeth to find Grand Admiral Thrawn. In Season 2, he’s likely to be a major threat to Ahsoka Tano and her allies as they try to return home.

Shin Hati

Ivanna Sakhno joined the Star Wars universe in Season 1 of Ahsoka as Shin Hati, a compelling new villain. As a skilled fighter with a connection to the Force, she trained under Baylan Skoll in the first season, and will likely continue that mentorship in Season 2 alongside Rory McCann’s character.

Hati teams up with Morgan Elsbeth to locate Thrawn and restore his influence, working alongside Skoll. Though her plans for Season 2 haven’t been revealed, she was left stranded on Peridea and was last shown getting ready to lead a group of bandits on a mysterious undertaking.

Nightsister Great Mothers

I’m so excited for Season 2 of Ahsoka! It looks like we’re going to see those amazing Nightsister witches again – the Great Mothers! They’re based on this planet called Peridea and they’re working with Thrawn, using their dark magic to help him become even more powerful. It’s going to be a real challenge for the Jedi and anyone who tries to stop him, because these Nightsisters are seriously strong!

Remaining allied with Thrawn, what they’ll do in Season 2 is a mystery, but they’ll undoubtedly use their influence to restore their people and the Empire to prominence.

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2026-03-19 05:36