Star Wars’ New Instant Fan-Favorite Is Ready to Make His Live-Action Debut [Exclusive]

It’s safe to say that Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has been a success on all fronts for Disney. Telling one of the sci-fi universe’s darkest stories to date, the animated series immediately rose as the highest-rated project in the franchise ever, drawing in viewers with the return of Sam Witwer’s titular Sith Lord as he seeks to restore his criminal empire. Its premiere was so anticipated that it was ordered for Season 2 before an episode even arrived, speaking to the supreme confidence in what Dave Filoni had cooking. For all the excitement of seeing the sinister character back at it again after The Phantom Menace and The Clone Wars, the series makes one key addition to the wider Star Wars universe that has already become a fan favorite — Brander Lawson.

Brander leads the other side of Shadow Lord’s galactic crime thriller as a respected police detective working separately from the Empire. Alongside his droid partner Two-Boots (Richard Ayoade), he’s digging into the shadowy dealings on Janix, putting him on the trail of Maul and his new apprentice. He adds to the gritty nature of the series as a grizzled cop willing to bend the rules, while also navigating a complicated relationship with his family at home. On top of all that, he’s played by none other than Oscar-nominated The Secret Agent star Wagner Moura. Between the rich characterization and the voice behind the man, Brander is a character practically made for live-action, and fortunately, Moura agrees.

In an interview with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt, coinciding with his appearance on our Set Stories series, Moura was asked about the possibility of bringing Brander to life physically. He already has a look that appears inspired by the actor, given that Moura was cast years before he was officially announced, so it wouldn’t necessarily be hard to shift him to live-action if the opportunity arose. There’s so much the animation accomplishes with the character, in the star’s eyes, but he believes that his depth is worth exploring further through another style.

“So if they ever just want to do live action, it’s me with a mustache. I would love to have the opportunity of playing that character in a live action. Although I think the graphics of the show, of the series are really, really cool and amazing. But that’s a character that I would love to play in a live action because it’s a very interesting and deep, and profound character.”

Brander’s Personal Life Resonated With Moura in ‘Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord’

While he may be the antagonist of Shadow Lord, Lawson is certainly no villain. He has a strong moral code that guides him and, despite everything, he’s trying to do what’s right, not just what the Galactic Empire wants. The fact that he’s a good man at heart, dedicated to his job, is what ultimately puts him and Two-Boots on a collision course with Maul, though he’s still a bit rough around the edges in a way that Moura finds compelling. I love the fact that this is a man who is both, you know, like he’s a good man. He’s kind of a hero, kind of the good guy, but also he’s not like… he’s a very street-smart cop,” he added. Sometimes, Lawson “doesn’t follow the protocol,” but it’s all in service of standing up for what he thinks is right. “He is a cop that has a way to move in that universe.”

As an actor who travels constantly, especially after The Secret Agent sent him to one award show after another, he found the deepest appreciation for Lawson as a father. Thanks to his work rooting out the corruption of Janix, being there for his son Ryles isn’t always easy, but it does add a bit of harsh reality to the character. Moura would like to see more of that side in a live-action appearance. There are enough unexplored avenues, like what’s going on with Brander’s wife, that he feels justify more expansion for this deep character who otherwise only plays a small, yet compelling role in the Star Wars universe.

“But the thing that I love most, it really resonates with me, is the fact that he’s a father that tries to be present, but sometimes that’s a very hard thing to accomplish. With myself, with the kind of work that I have, that forces me to travel all the time, it’s really hard to be present. To be, like, this job versus family time is a very hard thing. This is a thing that resonated a lot with me. It’s a man, you know, his wife is not around. What happened to them? But they’re separated, are they? How is he raising this kid by himself? So I think there’s lots of complexities that are great in the animation, in the series, the way it is. But would be great for a live-action thing too.”

Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the future of the series and its standout characters, and watch our new episode of Collider Set Stories with Moura below.