WILLOW Series Writer Jon Kasdan Promises "Deep Cuts" and References to the Tabletop Game and Novelization
Ron Howard’s Willow movie holds a special place in my heart. I love that movie, and up until that point, I had never seen a live-action fantasy film like that before. It was truly a magical moviegoing experience, and I couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming sequel series that is being developed by Lucasfilm.
The first teaser trailer that was released was fantastic and it looks like everything I hoped it’d be. Well, during an interview with CB, writer, and showrunner Jonathan Kasdan offered some additional insight on the series promising deep cuts and references to different corners of the franchise. He said:
"It's a whole new thing. From the moment I got involved in Star Wars with George, with Kathy, with my dad, I saw an opportunity here with Willow to bring this story back. I knew that Warrick was eager to do it, to play it again, and then when Ron came and worked on Solo with us, he was just as eager, too, and we let the momentum of that allow us to continue this story that the three of us really loved -- that I loved as a fan and they loved as a working experience. I just thought, 'How do I do this, and how do I give it the same fidelity that we tried to give to Solo?' There are deep cuts in the Willow show, and references to the tabletop game and references to the novelization. We went deep, and hopefully the true fan will appreciate it."
That’s cool! I like that they went to other sources for additional information to play with. The series takes place years after the events of the original Willow film. "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 the unmatchable Warwick Davis."
The story revolves around a group on a mission to save a kidnapped prince. The members of this group include "Dove (Bamber), whose backstory resembles that of Willow from the movie. Dove is an unassuming kitchen maid who proves she is the "chosen one" as she embarks on the journey. She is joined by Kit, the princess whose twin brother was abducted. She is destined to be a leader and, ultimately, the queen. Kellyman plays Jade, a servant who is Kit’s best friend and moral compass. She is on her way to becoming the best young warrior in the kingdom." Sellers is said to play a resourceful character with sharp, acerbic wit.
Kasdan then talked about how awesome it was working with Howard saying:
"[Ron] is all enthusiasm and all fun, and I shouldn't say this on something my dad might see, but if I had one role model it's Ron. He just brings such momentum and energy to everything he does, and without it, we wouldn't have been able to do this. Being on the set with him, you're sitting there in the chair, and he's geeking out on Willow with you as you're shooting on the Millennium Falcon, and it's the best job you can have."
The Willow series also stars Erin Kellyman (Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals), Tony Revolori (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Dempsey Bryk (The Birch), Talisa Garcia (Serve and Protect, Baptiste), and Game Of Thrones actress Rosabell Laurenti Sellers. And, of course, Val Kilmer’s character Madmartigan is involved.
Joanne Whalley is reprising her role as Queen Sorsha, the daughter of the evil Queen Bavmorda, as well as the adoptive mother of Elora Danan, the infant from the original movie. Madmartigan and Sorsha are also the parents of the new lead character in the series, Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz), and her missing twin brother.
The epic fantasy adventure is set in an age of swords, sorcery, myths, and monsters, and it will hit Disney+ on November 30th!