Willow TV Series Coming To Disney+

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**Azreal13**

Warwick Davis will reprise his role from the 1988 feature film, with Jon M. Chu directing the pilot and Ron Howard exec producing.

Streaming platform Disney+ has greenlit a series based on Ron Howard's 1988 movie. Warwick Davis will reprise his role in the series, and Jon M. Chu is set to direct the first episode and executive produce. Jonathan Kasdan (Solo), who wrote the pilot, and Wendy Mericle (Arrow) will serve as showrunners.

Howard, who hinted at a possible Willow sequel in a 2019 interview, will be an executive producer of the series. The film's screenwriter, Bob Dolman, will be a consulting producer. Lucasfilm will produce.

"Growing up in the’80s, Willow has had a profound effect on me," said Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights). "The story of the bravest heroes in the least likely places allowed me, an Asian-American kid growing up in a Chinese restaurant looking to go to Hollywood, to believe in the power of our own will, determination and of course, inner magic. So the fact that I get to work with my heroes from Kathleen Kennedy to Ron Howard is bigger than a dream come true. It's a bucket list moment for me. Jon Kasdan and Wendy Mericle have added such groundbreaking new characters and delightful surprises to this timeless story that I can't wait for the world to come along on this epic journey with us."

The series will be Lucasfilm's first foray into storytelling outside the Star Wars universe since 2015. Willow will be set years after the film and introduce new characters into its world of fairy queens and monsters. Davis will once again play Willow Ufgood.

"So many fans have asked me over the years if Willow will make a return, and now I'm thrilled to tell them that he will indeed," said Davis. "Many have told me they grew up with Willow and that the film has influenced how they view heroism in our own world. If Willow Ufgood can represent the heroic potential in all of us, then he is a character I am extremely honored to reprise."

Said Howard, "It's creatively exciting to not only revisit the world and characters first conceived by George Lucas, Bob Dolman and myself but to see it take flight in such fresh, fun and cinematic ways through the imagination of Jon Kasdan and Team Willow. This isn't a nostalgic throwback, it's a creative lean-forward and it's a blast to be a part of it all."

Willow joins a host of Disney+ series based on well-known IP from the parent company, including several shows set in the Star Wars (The Mandalorian, shows centered on Obi-Wan Kenobi and Rogue One's Cassian Andor) and Marvel (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision) universes.

"This is an exciting new era for storytelling at Lucasfilm," said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “Jon Chu's vision, coupled with the writing of Jon Kasdan and Wendy Mericle, is going to take Willow into new and exciting directions for the series. Reuniting Ron Howard and Warwick Davis in the world of Willow is something that they've both wanted to do for some time, and I couldn't be more proud of the incredible team we’ve put together to bring this series to Disney+."

Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Chu, Kasdan, Mericle, Howard and Imagine Television are executive producing Willow. Roopesh Parekh and Hannah Friedman are co-EPs. Dolman is a consulting producer and Julia Cooperman is producer.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

My interest, they have it!

**Thargrim**

I used to watch willow a lot when I was a kid. I have some doubts about this. Cause Willow had such a classic fantasy vibe. I'm kind of allergic to disney at the moment as well. But I did love the original film and this will be something I keep an eye on...I guess.

**Overread**

We've had some good nostalgic returns like the Dark Crystal series (which sadly has apparently been dropped :( )

I've hope, but like all things we'll have to wait and see. I'd love to see some classic fantasy adventuring and it would be a shame if it wound up "epic super modern hyper fantasy". A bit like the new Conan film

**Tannhauser42**

Loved Willow as a kid. I read the book, and even had the computer game. I still think the final fight between Madmartigan and General Kael is one of the best ever.
This could be very good, or not. It'll be interesting to see what kind of story they tell.

**Azreal13**

I find it reassuring when original names are prepared to attach themselves to reboots. It's not a guarantee, nobody is immune to sufficient quantities of money, but if someone with an otherwise pretty solid track record like Howard is on board then I think that's a net positive.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

It’s not a reboot though? It’s a follow on to the original movie?

**Azreal13**

Semantics.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Hardly. Same principal character, same actor. Same world, just time has moved on.

That’s not a reboot at all.

**Overread**

Reboots are totally different. A reboot can essentially change anything it wants, sometimes having very little of the original present. It doesn't "have to" stick to the same story even and can get away with it (look at Battlestar Galactica reboot).

A sequel has to at least stick to the same original story and structure. It has less scope to change things without causing issues.

**Azreal13**

Well, thank heavens for you two, otherwise the 0.3 people that read my post and thought I was talking about something else would have been sooo confused.

**Hulksmash**

I'm excited. I literally whooped when I read this last night. That said I'm curious if they go the novel route that kinda wrapped the series or if they are going to do something different. I do think whatever they do they're probably going to handle Martigan and Sorcia the same way the book did.

**Kalamadea**

I'll be happy as long as they don't follow the books, Shadow Moon was an absolute trainwreck. Never read the other 2 in the trilogy, but nothing says "keeping the spirit of the original true" like not bothering to secure the naming rights from the movie so you spend the very first chapter killing off literally every single supporting character in a worldwide cataclysm, renaming Willow and the Princess Elora, then jumping the story ahead 10+ years. 10+ years where Nu-Willow abandoned Nu-Elora to be raised in a far distant kingdom by rando royalty she's vaguely distantly related to. I guess to be fair, Willow DID just lose his wife, his children, his village and all his movie companions in an instant as well as his home and every person he'd ever known in his entire life, so he probably wasn't in a princess-raising mindset. So utterly broken spirited Nu-Willow now lives as a lonely hermit out in the wasteland desert with his 2 brownie companions. Not the same 2 brownie companions of the movie of course, they were killed off in the cataclysm, but 2 NEW brownie companions who might as well have been the 2 from the movie, but again, naming rights. *facepalm* The driving crux of the story is that old desert hermit Obi-Willow Kenobi finds out that the princes Nu-Elora is growing up to be a spoiled brat teenager, so he snaps out of his crippling depression and sets out on a new quest to find her and make her a not-spoiled brat. Yup. That's the driving force of the plot.

It was a book cowritten by pre-prequel George Lucas and Chris Claremont (the original X-Men creator, Chris Claremont!), written as a sequel to a movie they basically ignored, with a story that had virtually nothing to do with the movie. It's BONKERS! So please, not a sequel based on that.

**BobtheInquisitor**

At least it gives an accurate and helpful depiction of how to cure crippling depression...

**BuFFo**

"writing of Jon Kasdan..."

Well, that pretty much sums up how bottom of the barrel this show is going to be.

I'll give the first episode a try, but my expectations are already low due to that fact.

**Overread**

Kalamadea wrote:
I'll be happy as long as they don't follow the books, Shadow Moon was an absolute trainwreck. Never read the other 2 in the trilogy, but nothing says "keeping the spirit of the original true" like not bothering to secure the naming rights from the movie so you spend the very first chapter killing off literally every single supporting character in a worldwide cataclysm, renaming Willow and the Princess Elora, then jumping the story ahead 10+ years. 10+ years where Nu-Willow abandoned Nu-Elora to be raised in a far distant kingdom by rando royalty she's vaguely distantly related to. I guess to be fair, Willow DID just lose his wife, his children, his village and all his movie companions in an instant as well as his home and every person he'd ever known in his entire life, so he probably wasn't in a princess-raising mindset. So utterly broken spirited Nu-Willow now lives as a lonely hermit out in the wasteland desert with his 2 brownie companions. Not the same 2 brownie companions of the movie of course, they were killed off in the cataclysm, but 2 NEW brownie companions who might as well have been the 2 from the movie, but again, naming rights. *facepalm* The driving crux of the story is that old desert hermit Obi-Willow Kenobi finds out that the princes Nu-Elora is growing up to be a spoiled brat teenager, so he snaps out of his crippling depression and sets out on a new quest to find her and make her a not-spoiled brat. Yup. That's the driving force of the plot.

It was a book cowritten by pre-prequel George Lucas and Chris Claremont (the original X-Men creator, Chris Claremont!), written as a sequel to a movie they basically ignored, with a story that had virtually nothing to do with the movie. It's BONKERS! So please, not a sequel based on that.

Entire cast changed save for 1 lead character who is perhaps the only one most casual people can actually remember from the film. Actually that story sounds ideal for a sequel being done decades later where they might only have the original lead actor on the team. It also allows for a passage of time natural to the character (actor has aged) and to the audience; providing a soft restart location where everything is fresh. Honestly whilst it might be a bad way to write a sequel novel or a sequel film made right after; for the time gap we've had since the film it acutally sounds quite good.

**BobtheInquisitor**

If they’re going the almost-totally-new route, I hope they just double down and have Willow chasing the New Beast, son of Colwyn and Lyssa, Emperor of Krull.

Throw in the Beastmaster while they’re at it.

**Turnip Jedi**

I want to believe but with crazy Kath lady still in the mix I'm cautious at best