Over 30 years since the release of the original Lucasfilm classic, Willow arrives in 2022 as a new episodic series on Disney+. The onetime farmer Willow Ufgood has become a noted sorcerer and encounters a group of young heroes on a dangerous quest. Full of wonders and adventure, the series joins original cast and crew with new contributors to expand the beloved fantasy world.
Willow stars Warwick Davis in the title role, as well as Ellie Bamber, Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman, Tony Revolori, Amar Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, and Joanne Whalley. Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Jonathan Kasdan, Tommy Harper, Wendy Mericle, Roopesh Parekh, Ron Howard, and Samie Kim Falvey serve as executive producers. Writers are John Bickerstaff, Hannah Friedman, and Jonathan Kasdan. The producers are Stephen Woolfenden, Julia Cooperman, Hameed Shaukat, and Max Taylor.
Starring:Â Warwick Davis, Erin Kellyman, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz, Amer Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, Joanne Whalley
Composers:Â James Newton Howard, Xander Rodzinski
Executive producers:Â Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Jonathan Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy, Wendy Mericle, Roopesh Parekh, Michelle Rejwan
Producer:Â Julia Cooperman
Director:Â Stephen Wolfenden
It’s no secret that fantasy television has taken off in the last few years. Shows like House of the Dragon, The Rings of Power, and Wheel of Time have tried to capitalize on the popularity garnered by Game of Thrones. And many of them have earned their popularity. In addition, the increased demand for high-fantasy shows has breathed new life into the genre. The new Disney+ series, Willow, adds to the list of shows attempting to capitalize on the demand. The story is a sequel to the 1988 movie of the same name, which follows the adventures of Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis), the Nelwyn farmer turned hero, as he attempts to save the orphan baby Elora Danan, the child of a prophecy destined to destroy the evil queen, Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). Along the way, Willow is joined by the warrior Princess Sorsha (Joanne Whalley), the mercenary Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), the brownies Rool and Freanjean, and other Nelwyn friends.
Willow is very much a George Lucas story. In fact, it could be considered Lucas’ attempt at creating his own Lord of the Rings. Willow Ufgood from the movie is Luke Skywalker from A New Hope. Willow Ufgood from the new series is Luke from The Last Jedi, although a little more helpful. Elora Danan (Ellie Bamber) is quite literally Rey. Elora thinks her name is Dove and lives her life as a cook. She has no idea of her true potential.
The series takes place 200 moons after the movie and follows the next generation of characters on their quest, with appearances from several of the film’s characters. First, it needs to be clarified what 200 moons equate to. On Earth, that’s about six months, but it’s obviously much longer than that. In the series description, it’s vaguely placed many years after the movie. Elora was a baby in the film, and now she is in her early 20s, if that’s any indication.
In the 1990s, Chris Claremont and George Lucas wrote a trilogy of books based on the movie called Chronicles of the Shadow War, which took place about 15 years after the film. These stories do not carry over into this series.
Willow tells the story of Madmartigan and Sorsha’s daughter, Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz), and a motley group of heroes on their journey to save Kit’s twin brother Airk (Dempsey Bryk), who was kidnapped by a group of evildoers. Despite Val Kilmer not being in this series, his character was very much a part of it. In the story, Sorsha sends Madmartagan off on a quest but has yet to return. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen the film or have never seen it, it’s recommended to watch it before starting this series, as the movie’s characters, locations, and events are referenced several times.
The titular character, Willow, the last known sorcerer, leads the quest. His team includes Dove, the determined kitchen maid in love with Airk, Jade (Erin Kellyman), a knight-in-training who is Kit’s love interest. In addition, Prince Graydon (Tony Revolori), who is arranged to marry Kit, and the only adult in the group, Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel), a thief, join the group to rescue Airk. Despite his royal standing, there seems to be more to Graydon than meets the eye. Boorman seems like this series version of Madmartagan. It sounds like a typical fantasy adventure story, but after only two episodes, Willow has separated itself from other fantasy shows in one discernible way: its tone.
The chemistry between the cast is seamless, as was evident during the promotional skits leading up to the show’s debut. The costumes were another highlight, as they were gorgeous. Having Warwick’s daughter appear as Willow’s daughter, Mims, was a pleasant surprise. No sign of his son or wife yet. And having Madmartagan’s son, Airk, named after his friend from the film, was a nice touch.
After the movie’s events, Tir Asleen is a kingdom that seems to have been flourishing for years. Willow has its darker moments, but it never reaches the level of other fantasy shows. Dove and Airk’s relationship is implied without resorting to overly sexual scenes. This would be the first true franchise to center around a queer story.
With the amount of new Star Wars and Marvel content on Disney Plus, Willow has the potential to be a sleeper hit. It’s a fun adventure story that has Lucas’ fingerprints all over it. ‘The Gails‘ and ‘The High Aldwin‘ are available on Disney Plus now, with each episode released weekly.
- Hardcover Book
- Davis, Warwick (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 416 Pages - 11/01/2011 (Publication Date) - Trade Paper Press (Publisher)