Willow was a fantasy film released in 1988, written by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard. In 2022, Disney+ is about to release a series sequel of the film, with Warwick Davis reprising his iconic role. As we wait for the series to premiere, here is everything we know about Disney+’s Willow.
Disney+’s Willow Release Date: When Will the Disney+ Series Come Out?
Disney+’s Willow premiered on November 30, 2022, a Wednesday, on the streaming site.
When was Disney+’s Willow announced?
Disney+ first announced Willow was greenlit in October 2020, when they confirmed that director Jon M. Chu would be helming the film. On February 2019, Variety reported that Ron Howard, the director of the original 1988 Willow film, and writer Jonathan Kasdan were in negotiations with Disney+ for the development of the series.
When did Disney+’s Willow start filming?
Disney+’s Willow started filming in June 2021 in various locations all around England.
Disney+’s Willow Cast: Who are the Actors Included in Disney+’s Willow?
The cast of Disney+’s Willow has the best of both worlds, featuring the lead stars from the original film and a new set of characters.
Warwick Davis Returns as Willow Ufgood
Warwick Davis returns to play the role of Willow Ufgood. Davis first got involved with Lucasfilm when he played Wicket in Return of the Jedi and has appeared in almost every Star Wars film since then. He finally landed his first leading role in a major film when he played the titular role in the 1988 iteration of Willow.
Davis with RadioTimes in November 2020 about how he never thought this series would happen.
You know what, it’s weird to be able to talk about it now! It’s something which I never thought I would see happen. Everything sort of aligned when we did the movie Solo. The writer, John Kasdan, was a huge fan of Willow. He grew up watching it and it’s one of the things that inspired him to become a screenwriter, as well as his dad. And then Ron Howard came into direct and John mentioned to him that he was a big fan of Willow and that got them talking. And I was on Solo looking a little bit like Willow with my long hair as Weazel, and all these things came together.
Joanne Whalley Also Returns
Another character from the original film returning to reprise their role in the series is Joanne Whalley, who plays Sorsha, the daughter of Bavmorda, who teamed up with Willow to protect and transport the child they were helping.
New Willow Cast
The rest of the cast in Willow will play new heroes teaming up with Willow to go on a brand new adventure.
The cast includes Ruby Cruz (from Castle Rock),who will play Kit, Erin Kellyman (who played Karli Morgenthau in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), who will play Jade, and Ellie Bamber, who will play Dove. The other cast members are Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Tony Revolori, Dempsey Bryk, Amar Chadha-Patel, and Talisa Garcia, whose characters are still to be announced. Talisa Garcia is a trailblazer, as the first openly transgender who was cast to work in a Lucasfilm project.
We also learn that Christian Slater joins the cast of Willow during the D23 Expo.
Meet the Cast
Lucasfilm posted a meet-the-cast video in November 2021.
Disney+’s Willow: Who are the Creatives Behind the Scenes?
Stephen Woolfenden, Jamie Childs, Philippa Lowthorpe, and Debs Paterson directed the Disney+ series. John Bickerstaff is the staff writer for the series, working with Julia Cooperman, Bob Dolman, Hannah Friedman, and Jonathan Kasdan.
The series was produced by Julia Cooperman, Tommy Harper, and Hameed Shaukat. Ron Howard, the director of the original 1988 Willow film, will not return as a director but will still stay on as an executive producer.
Willow Went Through Several Directors
Willow had to go through several directors due to schedule conflicts. The first director linked to the Disney+ series was Jon M. Chu, who previously worked on Crazy Rich Asians and In The Heights, which was announced during the 2020 Disney Investor Day. Chu had to opt out of the show because of schedule conflicts.
After Chu left, Jonathan Entwistle took on the help but had to leave the show due to scheduling conflicts with his Apple TV+ series, Hello Tomorrow.
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Disney+’s Willow Plot: What Will be the Plot of Disney+’s Willow Series?
The original Willow film was about a farmer named Willow who went on a quest to deliver a young child he found. The evil sorceress Empress Bavmorda was after the child, but Willow bravely embarked on the journey, braving monsters and minions along the way. Willow teamed up with a ragtag of heroes, like the swordsman Madmartigan, and succeeded in his quest and protected the child.
The series takes place many years after the film, where we meet new heroes working with Willow to save the world. Disney+ released the official synopsis for the series:
An epic period fantasy series with a modern sensibility set in an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty, “Willow” features a diverse international cast with Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers. The story began with an aspiring magician from a Nelwyn village and an infant girl destined to unite the realms, who together helped destroy an evil queen and banish the forces of darkness. Now, in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, the adventure continues, as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.
Willow will be the first non-Star Wars Film from Lucasfilm since 2015
Lucasfilm is most famous for its Star Wars franchise. The last non-Star Wars film Lucasfilm released was Strange Magic in 2015, which means Willow is a breath of fresh air from the film studio.
How many episodes with Disney+’s Willow have?
The first season of Willow will have eight episodes, with a new episode being released every week.
Disney+’s Willow Trailer: Is There a Trailer for Disney+’s Willow?
The trailer for Disney+’s Willow was released during the D23 Expo 2022.
Willow Teaser Trailer
Willow’s teaser was released on May 27, 2022.
Where to Watch Disney+’s Willow: Where Can I Watch the Disney+’s Willow?
You can watch Willow on Disney+ since it was released on November 30, 2022. There are more shows and movies for you to enjoy like Disenchanted, Percy Jackson, The Marvels, Loki, and Ironheart.
Disney+'s Willow Performance: How Well Did Willow Do?
Willow performed well once it was released, as was expected of the fantasy series. Critics have given the show a relatively good rating, with the series scoring 86% on Tomato Freshness and 60% on Audience Score.
Viewers and fans of the original movie have not been as kind, though, with the common sentiment being forced modernization. The new characters introduced in the series appear to be too modern which, when placed against the stark contrast of the fantastical world of Willow, does not play well together.
It takes a while (the fourth episode, to be exact) before the big picture is complete but the show picks up its pace great after that.
Will Disney+ Release a Willow Season 2?
There is no news yet whether or not Willow will be renewed for a second season but Disney may need more time to determine if a second season is worth investing in.