Disney+'s Willow is a spellbinding departure from a tired fantasy series formula (2024)

Warwick Davis still has a wand from Willow in the wall of his office, encased in a box frame.

“It sits up there as a reminder that anything’s possible, but the power normally to achieve anything is within you,” Davis told Inverse in a 2020 interview. “That was the message behind Willow: The power to control the universe is within you. It’s not anywhere else. The wand always reminds me to get out there and go for it.”

Thirty-four years after the original film that made Davis a household name, the actor who played the titular protagonist is headed back to the whimsical land of sorcerer supreme (at least, in this franchise), Willow Ufgood. Disney+’s Willow series is more spellbinding than it has any right to be for a theater-to-TV sequel show, but it brings back all of the charms of the iconic 1988 fantasy movie, then double downs on the magic and mayhem, remixing it just enough to satisfy fans both old and new.

Willow (the series) picks up on the events of Willow the film, which begins with the birth of Elora Danan, a baby with a rune birthmark who is prophesied to take down the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda of Nockmaar, and become the next princess of Tir Asleen. When Elora is smuggled out of the castle and set adrift on a river raft to escape Bavmorda’s massacre of all newborns, she is found by aspiring sorcerer and humble farmer Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis), a little person from the village of Nelwyn. With the help of various unlikely friends —Bavmorda’s daughter, Sorsha (Joanne Whalley), and Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) —Willow is able to boot Tir Asleen’s tyrant and leave Elora in the care of Madmartigan and Queen Sorsha. It’s the end of darkness in Willow’s world... Or so we thought.

What happens after the happily ever after in Willow is what Willow (the series) is all about— and it turns out that, like the Disney+ sequel Disenchanted, happily ever after may not always be “ever after.”

In the Willow series, Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz), daughter of Sorsha, is being married off to young, scholarly goober, Graydon (Tony Revolori). But all Kit wants to do is sword-fight with her best friend, Jade (Erin Kellyman), a knight-in-training. Meanwhile, Ellie Bamber (Dove) is rolling in the hay with handsome high-school jock prince Airk (Dempsey Bryk), Kit’s twin brother and the apple of Sorsha’s eye. But on the night of Kit and Graydon’s engagement celebration, evil seeps into the Mother World once again. An unlikely group of heroes from Tir Asleen sets off on a perilous journey far beyond their home, past the Shattered Sea, where they must face their inner trolls and come together to restore the forces of good.

Their first stop? To seek the aid of the greatest sorcerer in all the land, Willow Ufgood.

The pilot is Willow’s weakest episode. It’s a good thing that Disney+ is dropping the first two episodes on the show’s end-of-November due date. Too many characters are introduced much too quickly — in an intricate fantasy world that many viewers will not be familiar with — which may ultimately repel viewers who need their hand held a bit tighter during world-building. The pacing could have been slower to let Willow newbies catch up. As such, we do recommend you watch the original Willow film prior to the show to grasp the full breadth of the show and the importance of certain on-screen cameos and off-screen character, battle, and location mentions.

But while most of what Willow Season 1 sometimes gets wrong can easily be sorted out by Season 2, there’s one element that will hopefully be left behind in Season 1: Dempsey Bryk, who plays Kit’s twin brother and Sorsha’s son, Airk. Airk inexplicably has a distracting surfer-dude accent whilst being costumed exclusively in equally distracting Harry Styles’ Love On Tour stage wardrobe. We’ll leave it at that.

Thankfully, the rest of the ensemble cast is phenomenal. Some TV shows like to include diverse characters in a friend group merely for diversity’s sake —eager to meet a certain quota or percent with no plan for making this inclusion representative or dimensional —but Willow ensures that everyone on the team is bringing something to the table.

Don’t let the title fool you: Willow is an integral part of this story, and he’s absolutely still the heart of it, but Willow lets the other main characters stand out as much as the titular protagonist.

Warwick Davis shines as brightly in the role of Willow Ufgood as he did when he first played the part at 17 years old, but never outshines the rest of the cast. Davis is at his best in the series, portraying a lead man once again after several years of being sidelined as a side character. But just because Davis gives it his all, that doesn’t mean that the other actors aren’t giving their all either—or that Willow doesn’t allow viewers to take note of their equally outstanding performances.

Standouts of Willow include Ruby Cruz as Kit, who plays an edgy, swashbuckling princess that Disney has never been brave enough before to include in its fairytales; Erin Kellyman as Jade, the she-knight who complements the princess as her other half, but also as her own person entirely with a fascinating background; and Amar Chadha-Patel as Boorman, the wise-cracking Casanova who makes crass, current-day humor feel organic in this dark medieval fantasy world. After her nuanced, “manic pixie dream Cinderella” approach to Dove in Willow, Ellie Bamber will undoubtedly become 2023’s It Girl. And we don’t know who cast Tony Revolori as the lead’s twee bumbling love interest, Graydon, but we’re grateful that someone over at Willow’s camp was watching The Grand Budapest Hotel and taking notes.

But it is Davis, who brings the sweet and saucy Willow we know and love from the original film, while also deftly exploring a side of Willow that is more adult, more cynical, who brings the whole show together.

Aside from the cast, Willow’s greatest strength is its stunning cinematography and special effects. It might not be a big-budget Star Wars or Marvel production, but Willow is allowed to be as sumptuous as modern filmmaking technology allows. The light magic looks effortlessly glittery—like the shimmering butterflies that surround Dove and friends in Episode 5. And the dark magic seen in the show teeters on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina-levels of macabre (just enough to raise a hair or two, but not completely spook you out).

Willow’s humor is another win for it. Nary a smile has been cracked in the fantasy shows of the past decade —save for The Witcher —somewhere along the line, we decided that the genre wasn’t meant to make viewers laugh. Willow does, though, and through numerous avenues. Sexual innuendos? Willow’s got it. Body gags? Willow’s got that, too. The most Monty Python-esque shenanigans you can think of? Yup, Willow’s got that. And more importantly, Willow elicits chuckles without it feeling forced.

Where Willow truly triumphs, however, is in its ability to somehow be the most groundbreaking and progressive show on Disney+. There are numerous interracial love triangles and couplings throughout Willow, which may not be new to Disney+ (or Lucasfilm, for that matter), but its inclusion of interracial lesbian representation on-screen that isn’t just depicted via a glance, or a nod, or a quick hand hold, or an off-handed mention, or a suggestion. Nope — there’s a kiss. There’s a declaration of feelings. And, light spoiler here: not just once.

Try as we may, it’s difficult to put into words just how gratifying of a viewing experience we expect Willow will be for fantasy fans who maybe want something with more spunk than the year’s past offerings. Willow isn’t a highbrow, hoity-toity cinephile watch (and that’s okay — that’s what House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power are here for). But Willow, even with its faults and its silliness, stands tall, above all other current fantasy shows, for its huge heart and a wonderful message at its core that refuses to be subdued.

Prepare to be enchanted.

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Disney+'s Willow is a spellbinding departure from a tired fantasy series formula (2024)

FAQs

Disney+'s Willow is a spellbinding departure from a tired fantasy series formula? ›

Disney+'s Willow

Willow
Willow is an American fantasy adventure television series based on and serving as a sequel to the 1988 film of the same name. Warwick Davis, the original actor of Willow Ufgood in the 1988 film, reprised his role for the show.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Willow_(TV_series)
is a spellbinding departure from a tired fantasy series formula. The Willow series brings back all of the charms of the 1988 fantasy movie, but remixes it just enough to satisfy both old fans and new. Warwick Davis
Warwick Davis
Warwick Ashley Davis (/ˈwɒrɪk/ WORR-ik, born 3 February 1970) is an English actor and television presenter. Active within the industry since he was twelve, Davis is one of the highest grossing supporting actors of all time and has the highest average gross revenue of all time.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Warwick_Davis
still has a wand from Willow in the wall of his office, encased in a box frame.

Why is Willow being removed from Disney Plus? ›

Disney canceled the television series after only one eight-episode season, and then it pulled the show off of Disney+ entirely for cost-cutting measures.

Why did the Willow series fail? ›

The show's tone felt directed at a teenage demographic that doesn't exist—but fits squarely outside the demographic most interested in this kind of fantasy: Kids and their parents. There's a way to craft a story that appeals to younger kids and their parents and the blueprint is the Willow film.

Is Willow season 2 cancelled? ›

'Willow' Canceled After One Season On Disney+

The streamer announced in March that there would be no second season of the original series, based on the 1988 fantasy film directed by Ron Howard.

Was the Willow series bad? ›

Sadly there is a lot of bad stuff too. They introduce for example 2 characters to get removed immediately for character motivations sake, use modern music that breaks immersion, characters act because the story says so and they lack good writing. The actors deliver a good performance for the genre.

Is Willow gone forever? ›

In March 2023, Disney+ canceled the series after only one season.

Where can I watch the Willow TV series 2024? ›

Watch Willow | Disney+ When young Willow Ufgood finds an abandoned baby girl, he learns she is destined to end the reign of the wicked Queen Bavmorda.

Is Willow going to be 3 seasons? ›

More Stories By Nellie. EXCLUSIVE: There will be no second season of Willow, Disney+'s live-action original series based on the 1988 fantasy film directed by Ron Howard.

Why did Disney cancel The Owl House? ›

Despite all the misinformation and some caution behind some fans about Disney's pulling the plug on The Owl House, the real reason is branding. The show wasn't catering to the audience that Disney wanted it to.

Is Willow not getting renewed? ›

Disney+'s Willow will not return for a season 2, but the future of the series based on the 1988 Ron Howard fantasy film remains up in the air. As a part of the Lucasfilm legacy, a continuation could be revisited in the future.

Will Disney bring Willow back? ›

The “Willow” TV series is done after just one season at Disney+, Variety has confirmed. The news comes around two months after the high fantasy series aired its eighth and final episode, with the show having debuted in November 2022 and airing until January 2023.

Who is returning for Willow 2? ›

But, to pull back a bit, Disney Plus' Willow pulled off a strong sequel to the original Willow movie. It brings back Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood, an aspiring sorcerer who helped Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) save an infant Elora Danan and stop the Demon Queen Bavmorda.

Why was Willow a flop? ›

The tone is the biggest problem. I could overlook the bad costumes and the lackluster story if it just felt like the Willow of old. People who defend the show point out that the movie was also often funny and didn't take itself too seriously, but that misses the point.

Why was Willow removed from Disney+? ›

Willow was removed from Disney+ earlier this year as part of a cost-cutting measure that saw dozens of shows exit the service, as well as Hulu, on May 26. Other popular shows that found themselves axed were The World According To Jeff Goldblum and Y: The Last Man. However, it's Willow that's really upset the fans.

Is the Willow series LGBT? ›

In a huge move for mainstream LGBTQ+ representation, the series centred a beautiful queer love story between Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz) and her longtime swordsman turned lover Jade (Erin Kellyman), and fans were excited to see how their relationship would develop in the next season.

Why is Disney+ removing content? ›

According to sources, the takedowns were a result of a library title review. There have been several content purges at Disney+ over the last year amid cost-cutting, most notably the removal of a slew of original series last May.

Is Disney renewing Willow? ›

EXCLUSIVE: There will be no second season of Willow, Disney+'s live-action original series based on the 1988 fantasy film directed by Ron Howard.

Is Disney getting rid of Disney+? ›

Are Disney+ or Hulu going away? Iger has touted a “one-app experience” enough times to maybe give you pause, but currently, the company has no plans to get rid of either of their two streaming services.

Why was Little Demon removed from Disney Plus? ›

Last month, Hulu removed shows like Y: The Last Man, Dollface, The Hot Zone, Maggie, Pistol, and Little Demon. The removals are part of cost-cutting measures by Disney, which runs the streaming service. Many of the series had deals to remain on Hulu until 2024 and beyond.

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