It's very nearly time to return to the Mother World with Disney+'s newest enchanted series Willow, streaming this November! Ahead of our fantastical journey, Disney and Lucasfilm have released brand new first-look images and a poster to give a sneak peek of what's in store for Warwick Davis' Willow Ufgood and his new friends.
Penned by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, the 1988 film Willow was destined to become a classic. When the filmmakers' fantasy adventure didn't smash the box office, these timeless characters were left to become a mainstay among fans for nearly 40 years. Now, Disney+ is returning to the world of Willow, decades after Queen Bavmorda's (Jean Marsh) villainous reign was put to its end by the young Nelwyn's bravery and magic. Unfortunately, as fantasy fans well know, a realm cannot remain at peace for long before darkness seeks to overturn it.
As the scales of good and evil begin to tilt once more, it's up to a new generation of adventurers to pluck up the courage to stand by the sorcerer Willow's side and protect the realm. In the images we see a shadowy figure moving through a thick fog, giving a big impression of a villain. Though no specific threat has yet been named in the trailers, it's safe to assume that this figure is the one causing all the chaos. We do see that Willow befalls a trap, much like the one he first met Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) in during the first film. The photos also share a glimpse of the magic Willow has now mastered, as well as a couple of the fresh faces who will aid his newest journey, Dove (Ellie Bamber) and the thief known as Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel).
Disney also unveiled the newest poster for the series, and it's a huge treat for fans of the original. Done as a hand-drawn film poster reminiscent of movie posters in the '80s, it features the full cast with Willow at the forefront. We see them wielding their weapons, and even get a good look at a handful of the villains our young heroes will meet on their travels. One baddie, the one on the top tier of the evil cronies, looks heavily inspired by another iconic fantasy series, the Mouth of Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Joanne Whalley, who returns to reprise her role as the reformed Sorsha, also commands a good portion of the poster, along with the newcomer Dove.
The new Disney+ series finds Willow once again tasked with tracking down the source of evil and saving the realm from its seductive lure. Decades later, it's revealed that Elora Dannon, the young empress born to save the world from darkness, must be re-discovered. Saved and raised by Madmartigan and Sorsha in the 1988 film, we find out from the trailer that in order to protect her and the realm, her true identity was concealed, even from herself." While on a mission to help a young woman, Kit (Ruby Cruz), find her kidnaped brother, they meet a ragtag team of individuals who must prove themselves selfless and courageous enough to do what must be done. Willow the series brings back Davis and Whalley and introduces a whole new cast of characters including Erin Kellyman as the young knight Jade, Tony Revolori, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Dempsey Bryk, Ralph Ineson as Commander Ballantine, Talisa Garcia and Christian Slater in an undisclosed role.
Willow will debut on Disney+ on November 30, with subsequent episodes premiering each week on Wednesday. You can check out the new images and watch the official trailer below:
