Willow producers unfazed by competition from other fantasy shows

Later this year, a beloved fantasy property will return to our screens. No, we’re not talking about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power or House of the Dragon, HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series. Disney+ is making a show based on Willow, a 1980s fantasy movie with a cult following. Despite the influx of fantasy TV arriving in the coming months, the Willow producers are not worried about their show being overshadowed.

While Willow has its fair share of dedicated fans, the Ron Howard-directed movie never reached anywhere near the level of success that something like The Lord of the Rings did. It never got a sequel, although it did get a trilogy of follow-up novels written by Chris Claremont. When Disney+ announced a sequel series in 2020 — three decades after the original — everyone was surprised.

At a time when fantasy shows are all the rage, Willow co-showrunner Jonathan Kasdan tells Empire that the upcoming series has enough going for it to stand out from the crowd. “Every time a trailer would air for one of these new series — like The Lord of the Rings or House of the Dragon — Ron and the producers and I would be like, ‘We’re still okay! We’ve got our own thing!'”

Willow producer praises “hysterical” Warwick Davis.

Thanks to roles in series like Star Wars and Harry Potter, Warwick Davis is the highest-grossing supporting actor of all time. But his biggest leading role is no doubt Willow Ufgood. According to Kasdan, Davis once again brings his charm to the Disney+ series:

"Warwick can’t do anything without being hysterical. You see how much fun they’re having. I think that distinguishes the tone of the show in a way we hope will really connect with people."

Kasdan also assures us that the Willow series will not adopt the grittiness that has become customary for fantasy projects nowadays. “The graveness and seriousness that a lot of fantasy has… maybe they’d like a break,” he said.

Davis’ daughter also plays a role in the sequel series, and his son is his stunt double. Willow will premiere on Disney+ on November 30, 2022.

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