Could Darth Maul return for ‘Star Wars’ sequels? Ray Park hopes so

There’s really not much to like about the "Star Wars" prequels, is there? Between the bad acting and terrible dialogue, overwhelming amounts of CGI, Jar Jar Binks, and endless galactic politicking, Episodes I through III of the sci-fi saga are kind of a mess.

One bright spot though, came in the form of short-lived “Star Wars Episode I” villain Darth Maul, played by “G.I. Joe” star Ray Park.

Noted for his double-bladed lightsaber and heavily tattooed appearance, Darth Maul was cut in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of “The Phantom Menace.” But fans of the horned Sith Lord didn’t expect a little thing like dismemberment from keeping the evil apprentice down -- they were banking on a return appearance in the George Lucas-directed “Attack of the Clones” or “Revenge of the Sith.”

Unfortunately for those Maul-lovers, “Episode II” and “III” featured no Darth Maul at all. To say that the character was under-utilized on the big screen would be an understatement, although the baddie did reappear (sporting a pair of cybernetic legs) in comic books, novels, video games, and on the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” TV series.

With new “Star Wars” movies on the horizon (thanks to Disney’s buyout of Lucasfilm), calls for more Darth Maul are again cropping up. And it now sounds like Ray Park is adding his voice to the chorus of Maul fans who want to see the Sith Lord make a comeback.

Park, whose other notable roles include Toad in the first “X-Men” film and Snake Eyes in the “G.I. Joe” movies, was recently asked if he’d be interested in being a part of those future “Star Wars” sequels.

“Just give me food and water, and I’m there,” he told MTV Geek, adding that he’d love to see Maul wield two double-bladed lightsabers this time and go shirtless -- to show off the character’s extensive tattoos, of course.

Maul may be half the man he used to be (or, more correctly, half the Zabrak), but if another apparently dead cult fave character like bounty hunter Boba Fett can get his own spin-off movie, surely at least a cameo appearance by Darth Maul is in the cards! Earlier this year, rumours swirled that Lucasfilm might also developing a standalone Obi-Wan film (presumably starring Ewan McGregor), in addition to the Han Solo, Boba Fett, and Yoda spin-offs already in the works. The Kenobi film would reportedly be set between episodes “III” and “IV” and feature the aging Jedi Master protecting a young Luke Skywalker from – you guessed it – Darth Maul.

With both Park and McGregor expressing interest in a return to a galaxy far, far away, the ball is in Disney's court. There are a few things going against such a project though, namely the House of Mouse's eagerness to distance the new films from Lucas' prequels. For evidence of that, you need only look at the company's near immediate cancellation of the prequel-era "Clone Wars" animated series and Lucasfilm's declared intent to focus on the post-"Return of the Jedi" time frame.

Additionally, the involvement of director J. J Abrams as the new creative force behind "Star Wars" might put the kibosh on anything even semi-prequel related. Abrams has stated on numerous occassions that he is a bigger fan of the original "Star Wars" movies than the more recent films. If he's like any other fan of the original trilogy, than he is probably just as eager as Disney to bury the prequels in the hot Tatooine sand.

Would you go see an Obi-Wan versus Darth Maul "Star Wars" movie? Or do you think everything from the prequels should be left alone?