Sam Witwer, the voice behind the iconic ‘Star Wars‘ villain Darth Maul, has surprisingly compared the Sith Lord to Jack Torrance, the troubled main character from Stanley Kubrick‘s 1980 film, ‘The Shining.’
Witwer, who has voiced Maul in ‘The Clone Wars,’ ‘Rebels,‘ and the upcoming ‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord,’ shared the idea during a recent interview.
Why Sam Witwer Sees Similarities Between Darth Maul and Jack Torrance
While talking with IGN’s Tom Jorgensen about Mike Flanagan’s ‘Doctor Sleep,’ the discussion naturally shifted to the Overlook Hotel and the kind of slow mental breakdown seen in ‘The Shining.‘
“There are absolutely a lot in common between Jack Torrance and Darth Maul,” Witwer said. “There is the thing that I always think about when it comes to this stuff is there is a gulf between intent and action….Jack Torrance, the Overlook Hotel is kind of his Star Wars galaxy. The intent is so far away from the action by the end of that film. You watch that gulf just grow as The Shining goes on.”
How Obsession and Madness Bridge ‘Maul’ and ‘The Shining‘
The comparison works because both characters start with a sense of purpose that slowly breaks down. Jack Torrance comes to the Overlook Hotel hoping to fix his life and focus on writing, but the isolation and dark influence of the place push him toward violence.
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Similarly, Maul begins as a focused and disciplined apprentice to Darth Sidious, but after defeat and betrayal, he becomes a damaged figure, driven by anger and revenge.
What This Means for ‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord’
Witwer’s take suggests that ‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord‘ will go deeper into Maul’s broken state of mind. The new Disney+ series is expected to blend action with a closer look at his character, using a visual style that feels rich and cinematic, with hints of the original ‘Star Wars‘ films.
Fans have already praised Witwer for turning Maul into more than just a silent villain from ‘The Phantom Menace.’ Now, this comparison to ‘The Shining‘ adds a new layer to how we see him.
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