Não, Lucas aparentemente decidiu ressuscitar Maul por volta de 2011/2012, cerca de 13 anos após sua infeliz divisão.
Well, mostly. Filoni acknowledges that the order to resurrect the Sith Lord came from George Lucas himself, who became more interested in his Phantom Menace creation while developing Savage Opress for the last season of The Clone Wars. Awesome as Maul was in the movie, he barely got to do anything before the old chop-chop. When asked if Maul’s return is motivated by the feeling that he was underutilized in The Phantom Menace, Filoni says, “I think in part.”
Darth Maul Lives! 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' shows his life after vivisection
Observe que isso é explicitamente um retcon. Outras fontes (na época canon) confirmaram sua morte no poço de fusão.
He [Maul] screamed and fell into the melting pit. Obi-Wan felt the tremor in the Force as he died.