Willow Season 2 hopes still alive
David Farnor | On 18, Mar 2022
Willow will not be returning to Disney+ any time soon for a second season, but the series’ creator is still hopeful that another chapter could happen in the future.
The series, which is based on the 1988 feature film, once again stars Warwick Davis as eponymous sorceror Willow Ufgood, who joins with an unlikely group of heroes for a dangerous quest to face their inner demons and save their world.
The show premiered in November last year but several months on from its finale, there had been no word on a renewal until this week. That news, however, wasn’t positive, with Disney opting not to order a second season, at a time when the Disney-owned Lucasfilm is looking to scale back some of its franchise investments and streaming companies are increasingly focused on finding ways to make a profit.
Series creator Jon Kasdan has said that the move is less of a formal cancellation and more of a pause, with Season 2 already written. But with no impetus from Disney to make it any time soon, the cast have been released from their contracts.
“With all the TV and movies in production around the world, it feels unfair to limit an actor’s availability without a clear sense of when you’re going to need them again,” said Kasdan in a statement on Twitter. “It’s further trivialized by the simple reality that the scripts we’ve been working on require just as many actors (from our first season) with whom no such contractual hold exists. Nothing prevented Annabelle Davis, for example, from taking another show, but you better believe Mims appears in every single Volume II chapter.”
— Jon Kasdan (@JonKasdan) March 17, 2023
Watch: New trailer for Disney+ series Willow
11th September 2022
“You think you know what is real and what isn’t…” That’s the sound of old magic coming back to our screens in Disney’s Willow – and a new trailer gives us a closer look at the series.
The live-action adventure is based on the 1988 feature film, which 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 all sorts of mystical creatures flourish, 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.
Warwick Davis once again reprises his role of the eponymous sorceror Willow Ufgood, joined by Dempsey Bryk, Amar Chadha-Patel, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz and Erin Kellyman. You can see them in action when the series premieres on 30th November.
Here’s the new video:
Trailer: Willow premieres on Disney+ this November
26th May 2022
“There is a story of a child destined to be an empress and the unlikely hero who would protect her…” That’s the sound of Willow returning to our screens, and a new trailer gives us a first look at the series.
The live-action adventure is based on the 1988 feature film, combining a modern sensibility with an enchanted fantasy land. 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.
With Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers, the talent in front of the screen is led by Warwick Davis, who stars alongside Dempsey Bryk, Amar Chadha-Patel, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz and Erin Kellyman.
Watch: Warwick Davis introduces Willow cast
13th November 2020
Warwick Davis has introduced the cast for the upcoming Willow Disney+ series.
The project has been in the works for some time at the Disney subscription service, but now, it’s officially happening, taking viewers back into the magical world of George Lucas’ epic fantasy. Lucasfilm’s first venture into non-Star Wars storytelling since 2015, the series takes place decades after the events of Ron Howard’s original swords, sorcery, myths and monsters adventure. It introduces all-new characters to the enchanted realm of fairy queens and two-headed Eborsisk monsters, and welcomes back its namesake hero, Willow Ufgood, performed once again by Warwick Davis.
It promises to continue the spirit of adventure, heroics and humour of the film, with Jon Chu (director of Crazy Rich Asians) helming the pilot. He will serve as executive producer along with showrunners Jonathan Kasdan (Solo) and Wendy Mericle (Arrow). Ron Howard, director of the original Willow film, returns as executive producer on the series with Bob Dolman, writer of the original film, serving as consulting producer. Jonathan Kasdan wrote the pilot.
In front of the camera, meanwhile, Davis will be joined by a young – or, as he puts it, younger – ensemble, namely Dempsey Bryk, Amar Chadha-Patel, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz and Erin Kellyman. You can get a glimpse of all them in a new behind-the-scenes video, which also gives us a chance to enjoy Davis joking about with his co-stars.
The series will debut on Disney+ in 2022.
Willow series set for 2022 release date
12th December 2020
Willow the TV series will officially arrive on our screens in 2022, Disney has confirmed.
The project has been in the works for some time at the Disney subscription service, but now, production is officially gearing up to start, taking viewers back into the magical world of George Lucas’ epic fantasy.
The series, which is Lucasfilm’s first venture into non-Star Wars storytelling since 2015, takes place decades after the events of Ron Howard’s original swords, sorcery, myths and monsters adventure. It introduces all-new characters to the enchanted realm of fairy queens and two-headed Eborsisk monsters, and welcomes back its namesake hero, Willow Ufgood, performed once again by Warwick Davis.
It promises to continue the spirit of adventure, heroics and humour of the film, with Jon Chu (director of Crazy Rich Asians) helming the pilot.
The project was confirmed by Disney earlier this year and now, at Disney’s Investor Day event, the House of Mouse has announced that fans waiting for the project to hit our screens will need to wait a little longer, with a release date set for 2022. Production is slated to begin in Wales in 2021.
Disney+ gives Willow series official green light
21st October 2020
Disney+ has officially given the green light to its Willow series, with Jon M Chu on board to direct.
The project has been in the works for some time at the Disney subscription service, but now, production is officially gearing up to start, taking viewers back into the magical world of George Lucas’ epic fantasy.
The series, which is Lucasfilm’s first venture into non-Star Wars storytelling since 2015, takes place years after the events of the original swords, sorcery, myths and monsters adventure. It introduces all-new characters to the enchanted realm of fairy queens and two-headed Eborsisk monsters, and welcomes back its namesake hero, Willow Ufgood, performed once again by Warwick Davis.
Jon M. Chu (In The Heights) is set to direct the pilot, and will serve as executive producer along with showrunners Jonathan Kasdan (Solo) and Wendy Mericle (Arrow). Ron Howard, director of the original Willow film, returns as executive producer on the series with Bob Dolman, writer of the original film, serving as consulting producer. Jonathan Kasdan wrote the pilot.
“Growing up in the ’80s, ‘Willow’ has had a profound effect on me,” says Chu. “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.”
“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,” says Howard. “This isn’t a nostalgic throw-back, it’s a creative lean-forward and it’s a blast to be a part of it all.”
“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,” says 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.”
The production plans to return to Wales, where much of the original film was shot. Production is slated to begin in 2021.
Willow series still awaiting green light from Disney+
3rd February 2020
The much-mooted Willow series is still awaiting a green light from Disney+, Ron Howard has revealed.
The House of Mouse’s subscription service has wasted no time in bringing out all of its heavyweight franchise muscle to compete with Netflix, including newly trailed Marvel series Loki, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, as well as Star Wars series The Mandalorian. Last year, reports arose of talks about a follow-up to Willow.
The MGM fantasy film from Ron Howard and George Lucas was first released in 1988 and starred Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis. It followed a farmer who reluctantly helped to protect a special baby from a queen who wanted to take over the world.
Howard said last year that Star Wars writer Jon Kasdan had been “hounding” him about rebooting the film. A year on, with Disney+ about to launch in the UK, Howard has given an update on the project – namely, that Disney still hasn’t made a final decision.
Howard told Variety, however, that the scripts are almost complete.
“We’re working on it, it’s not greenlit, but I was just on the phone today discussing it with Jonathan who has written the scripts,” Howard commented. “It’s in serious development, but there’s nothing to announce quite yet.”
Davis, who played the titular dwarf in the original, has reportedly held talks to reprise his role as a “more mature” version of the character.
“If it happens, Warwick will definitely be a part of it,” Howard added.
Disney+ reportedly eyeing up Willow reboot
4th May 2019
A reboot of Willow may soon be coming to Disney+.
Disney’s new streaming platform, launching in the USA later this year, is wasting no time in bringing out all of its heavyweight franchise muscle to compete with Netflix. So far, Marvel series are in the works for Loki, Scarlet Witch and more, a Star Wars Rogue One prequel is being produced and a further Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, is in production from director Jon Favreau, and Pixar is making a Monsters, Inc. series. Now, talks are happening abut a potential series based on Willow.
The MGM fantasy film from Ron Howard and George Lucas was first released in 1988 and starred Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis. It follows a farmer who reluctantly helps to protect a special baby from a queen who wants to take over the world. Howard said to MTV’s Happy Sad Confused podcast that Star Wars writer Jon Kasdan (Solo: A Star Wars Story) had been “hounding” him about rebooting the film.
“I think it’d be a great way to go,” Howard commented. “In fact, George always talked about the possibility of a Willow series, and it’d be great and more intimate, and built around that character and some of the others. And Jon Kasdan has, I think, an inspired take on it and it could be really, really cool.”
Deadline reports that Disney+ has held talks about the project, with the reboot focussing on a more mature Willow, who’s older and wiser and probably more than a bit deadlier.