One thing easily known about George Lucas is
that he is a masterful storyteller. From his ideas came
the narratives of popular and well-received adventure franchises
such as “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones.” Not all of Lucas’ film
stories become blockbusters however. One example is his 1988
dark fantasy epic “Willow,” which starred Val Kilmer
and “Star Wars” alumnus Warwick Davis. It did not generate
comparable audiences and was almost forgotten until the movie’s
director Ron Howard revealed that a sequel series was being
developed for Disney+. The new streaming service has not
confirmed to carry the “Willow” series yet but already
location scouting has resumed despite the COVD-19 pandemic.
As Comic Book Resources tells us,
pre-production has resumed on the “Willow” streaming series
as told by Ron Howard. The filmmaker confirmed this on a
Facebook Live Q&A where Howard was talking about his current
project, the film “Rebuilding Paradise.”
“It's still in development” says
Howard. “It doesn't have a green light. Warwick Davis is thrilled by it, and,
if we are lucky enough for it to go, he would come back as Willow." The
lack of green light from prospective host Disney+ was important to note because
when the “Willow” series was first announced back in January, fans of the film
though it had already finished development and was merely waiting filming by then.
Such hype had been so premature that
Warwick Davis, who played heroic dwarf farmer and wannabe-sorcerer Willow
Ufgood had to throw some cold water on the fans already. Ron Howard has affirmed
the star’s statements, but also assured “Willow” fans that progress on the
project continues. "We are far enough along that, in a very tentative way,
locations are beginning to be scouted,” he says, proposing possible filming in
Wales.
The 1988 “Willow” movie saw Davis (the
Ewok Wickett from “Star Wars” and Professor Flitwick from “Harry Potte”) as the
titular dwarf who finds himself the protector of a newborn baby girl with a
power that can defeat the long-reigning sorceress queen Bavmorda, with the help
of mercenary warrior Madmartigan (Val Kilmer). The sequel series is being written
by Jonathan Kasdan (“Solo: A Star Wars Story”) and Davis himself being in talks
to reprise his 22-year-old role. George Lucas meanwhile had co-written with “X-Men”
writer Chris Claremont, three book sequels to “Willow” during the 1990s. It is
not known yet if any plot elements from these novels would be adapted into the prospective
Disney+ series.
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