Credit: LucasfilmMace Windu has never really left Star Wars, but the iconic Jedi Master is about to step into a brand-new standalone adventure that will put him in the spotlight once again.
Mace Windu’s Star Wars Appearances
Mace Windu was introduced in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), in which he was played by Samuel L. Jackson, as a senior member of the Jedi Council, which immediately established him as one of the Order’s most respected figures.
In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), he led the charge at Geonosis and defeated Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison), solidifying his reputation as a powerful Jedi.
Windu’s final live-action appearance came in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), where he confronted Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) in the Senate Chambers and was killed by the Sith Lord after Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) intervened.
He also left a mark in animation. Before the prequel trilogy ended, he appeared in the miniseries Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003), in which he’s voiced by Terrence C. Carson.
Carson reprised his role as Mace Windu in the 2008 theatrical film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and then again in the 2008–2020 series of the same name, where the character served as both a battlefield commander and a steady voice on the Jedi Council.
Most recently, Carson returned as Mace in the anthology series Tales of the Jedi (2022).
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In novels and comics, Windu’s story has been explored in even greater depth.
The Legends novel Shatterpoint (2003) focused on his internal struggles on Haruun Kal during the Clone Wars, while canon material like Marvel’s Jedi of the Republic – Mace Windu (2017) and Age of Republic – Mace Windu (2019) put him on high-stakes missions across the galaxy.
Most recently, Star Wars: The Glass Abyss (2024) explored his response to the death of Qui-Gon Jinn (as seen in The Phantom Menace), while the Marvel miniseries Mace Windu (2024) revisited a younger version of the character, showing him early in his Jedi career and facing his own challenges before the events of The Phantom Menace.
Even off-screen, these stories show that Windu remains a force within the galaxy. Now, with a new series on the horizon, his presence in the galaxy is about to be felt like never before.
Mace Windu Returns to the Faraway Galaxy
Per TheDirect, Lucasfilm and Dark Horse Comics have announced Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories — Mace, an all‑new original graphic novel set to arrive later this year, in Fall 2026.
The standalone story once again puts one of the prequel era’s most recognizable Jedi characters front and center, this time well before the events of The Phantom Menace.
The book is written by New York Times bestselling author Justina Ireland, with interior art by Georges Duarte and additional art by PH Gomes, and lettering by ComiCraft. Cover art for Hyperspace Stories — Mace is provided by award‑winning artist Michael Cho.
This latest entry in the Hyperspace Stories follows Windu shortly after he becomes a Jedi Knight, sending him on a mission that quickly escalates beyond its original purpose.
The publisher’s official synopsis describes the story as follows:
“After bungling a sensitive assignment, a young Mace Windu is sent to protect an alien king. This punishment becomes a daring rescue after the monarch is abducted, and the Jedi Knight is forced into the center of a conspiracy surrounding scheming politicians and ruthless revolutionaries. With danger and betrayal lurking around every corner, Windu must unravel the conspiracy before the planet is engulfed in a civil war. Who knew diplomacy could be so thrilling?”
This isn’t the first time Windu has been explored in print, but it is one of the most focused looks at his early years as a Jedi — a stretch of time the films never showed and that fans have long debated.
By placing him at the start of his career, the story promises to show a very different version of the Jedi wielder of the infamous purple lightsaber, thrown headlong into political intrigue and danger.
Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories — Mace is slated for release in Fall, 2026.
Will Mace Windu Return to Star Wars Live Action?
While Mace has had many memorable adventures in Star Wars, it was his death in the Senate Chambers on Coruscant at the hands of Palpatine that became one of the saga’s most talked-about moments. It also sparked decades of fan speculation that Windu might still be alive somewhere in the galaxy, waiting for a solo story of his own on the small screen.
For now, at least until Disney and Lucasfilm decides to bring him back to life, Mace remains at one with the Force — which is why these new stories take place before Revenge of the Sith.
But never say never, because the faraway galaxy has a habit of bringing back deceased characters. After all, Maul, who was killed in The Phantom Menace (1999), now has his own animated series set after the Clone Wars titled Maul — Shadow Lord (2026), which premieres with a two-episode event on Disney+ on April 6. Watch the trailer below:
Live action has followed the same pattern, particularly where prequel trilogy characters are concerned. Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) brought back Ewan McGregor as the iconic Jedi, while Liam Neeson returned briefly as Qui-Gon Jinn’s Force Ghost in the same series. Similarly, Ahsoka (2023) brought Hayden Christensen back as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.
For Mace, a return means seeing Samuel L. Jackson wielding his purple lightsaber again. Though there have been rumors of his return over the years, and while Jackson himself has even hinted at the possibility, nothing has been confirmed. And whether a return would mean a post-Revenge of the Sith resurrection or another prequel also remains to be seen.
Would you like to see Samuel L. Jackson reprise his role as Mace Windu in Star Wars? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!