Willow EP Kathleen Kennedy Talks About Bringing the Iconic Lucasfilms World Back for the First Time in Over 30 Years

The fantastical world of Willow returned for the first time since 1988, when a new Disney+ series arrived on November 30.

The show is set years after the events of the Ron Howard-directed original film, which starred Warwick Davis in the lead role of Willow, a Nelwyn farmer and sorcerer. The film also starred Val Kilmer in the role of mercenary swordsman Madmartigan, Jean Marsh as the villainous Queen Bavmorda, and Joanne Whalley as Sorsha aka Queen Bavmorda’s daughter.

The Disney+ TV series sees Davis reprise his role, alongside Whalley, who now rules as Queen Sorsha. Along with that, the show features new cast members including Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman and Amar Chadha-Patel in important roles.

Alongside Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Willow has now become one of Lucasfilms’ revisited worlds. When asked about how the TV series came about, Lucasfilms President and Executive Producer Kathleen Kennedy explained what she thought when showrunner Jonathan Kasdan and Ron Howard pitched the idea. She said, “When Jon and Ron raised the possibility of resurrecting the world of Willow for a Disney+ series, it felt like all the stars had aligned.”

Kennedy further mentioned that the pairing of Kasdan and Howard made a major difference in her decision to say yes for a Disney+ series set in the epic fantasy world of Willow. She revealed, “Jon’s passion and Ron’s experience and knowledge from working on the original ‘Willow’ feature, combined with Disney+’s vast new landscape in which to tell stories in a more nuanced, expanded format, was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,”

The first two episodes of Willow is now available to watch in English and Hindi on Disney+ Hotstar.