I have a confession to make as Laughing Place’s certified Lucasfilm fanatic: I’ve never been the biggest fan of the movie Willow. In the summer of 1988 I was old enough (eight, to be exact) to see the Ron Howard-directed fantasy romp in the theater, but it didn’t stick with me the way other big-budget blockbusters of that era did– like Robert Zemeckis’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Back to the Future Part II, or Tim Burton’s first Batman.
Having rewatched Willow a few times as an adult, I think it has its moments and is certainly charming and entertaining enough, but up until recently I never had any doubts as to why it didn’t become a franchise like the other A-tier George Lucas-created properties such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones. So why am I now so excited about the potential of the Willow live-action Disney+ sequel series? I think it’s because, based on what I’ve seen, showrunner Jonathan Kasdan (co-screenwriter of 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story) has retained the spirit of what made the original film work, while improving upon the elements that never clicked for me growing up.
Unlike the movie, the Willow series does not start in the riverside village of the Nelwyn. Instead, the adventure begins with the “giants” among the Daikini and the children of Queen Sorsha (Joanne Whalley, reprising her role from the film)– the foppish and romantic Airk (Dempsey Bryk from the Netflix movie The Silence) and the rough-and-tumble tomboy Kit (Ruby Cruz of HBO’s Mare of Easttown fame). Airk is, of course, named after the soldier character played by Gavan O’Herlihy in the movie, and Kit is in a will-they-or-won’t-they-admit-their-feelings-for-eachother relationship with wannabe warrior Jade (Erin Kellyman from Solo and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier). Wild cards thrown into the mix include Graydon– a sad-sack prince played by Tony Revolori from The Grand Budapest Hotel, a kitchen maid in love with Airk– nicknamed Dove– played by Ellie Bamber from Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and a rogue swordsman called Thraxus Boorman– how’s that for a cool-sounding name?– played by Amar Chadha-Patel from Disney’s live-action Aladdin. On the eve of Kit’s arranged marriage to Graydon, Airk is kidnapped by forces of evil, and the above-listed motley crue must embark on a quest to retrieve him. But first, naturally, they must track down a sorcerer named Willow.
After a road of trials like running into the horseback baddies known as the Bone Reavers, the gang finds Willow Ufgood (played, as in the film, by Return of the Jedi’s Warwick Davis) pretty much where we first met him 35 years ago– though only 20 years have passed in-universe. Willow is welcoming to Kit and her party at the Nelwyn village, but just when he’s about to warn them about the dangers they will face along their way to rescue Airk, he notices something among the group that will drastically alter the direction the series takes from that point on. SPOILER ALERT: do not read further if you haven’t watched or don’t want to know the secret revealed at the end of Willow’s first episode. Willow’s attention zeroes in on Dove, and when his hand placed on her inner arm unveils a familiar birthmark we in the audience know exactly who she is meant to be: Elora Danan, the foretold Princess of Tir Asleen– a character that was only ever a baby throughout the film. That’s the rousing cliffhanger ending of episode one, and an intriguing way to kick off the series, to be sure. I have to admit I was more than convinced Elora Danan would turn out to be Erin Kellyman’s red-haired character Jade, but I’m guessing that was an intentional red herring thrown in by Jon Kasdan and company to keep us guessing until the big reveal.
So, knowing what we now know about who’s who and direction this all seems to be headed, how does Willow stack up as a follow-up to the cult-classic 80s kids’ movie? Honestly, I gotta say I’m pretty into it so far. A whole lot of that has to do with the cast and the new characters, all of whom are charismatic in their own unique ways. I’d say Thraxus is the immediate standout among the additions, but Kit and Jade are fun to watch as well and Graydon provides some welcome comic relief as the unlikeliest member of the adventuring ensemble. The premiere episode takes its time setting up these various personas and their wants and traits, but having already seen a few episodes past this I can say that the payoff is absolutely worth the amount of character building set up in the first episode. The other mystery at the heart of Willow is whatever happened to Val Kilmer’s character Madmartigan, and I will also say that that is addressed in a way that leaves said mystery open to exploration as the series goes on. There’s also the driving force of the possible return of the villain Bavmorda, either in physical form or in spirit, and the promise of a journey through lands both familiar and new to those who are acquainted with the original. In the era of Game of Thrones and The Rings of Power, it’s nice to know that medieval fantasy has been accepted among the mainstream to the point where a Willow series can exist. I just hope it finds an audience, but I’m thinking between grown-up 80s kids and a younger generation of would-be fans drawn in by the undeniable appeal of the new cast, that shouldn’t be too difficult a task. As for me, I’ll be following along over the next eight weeks and rooting for the season to follow through on the potential hinted at by this compelling first installment– just as Elora Danan must follow through on the promise of her destiny.
New episodes of Willow will be released on Wednesdays, exclusively via Disney+.