During the Lucasfilm Panel on Thursday for the Star Wars Celebration event, fans everywhere finally got a good look at the upcoming sequel series to Warwick Davis' cult classic dark fantasy Willow. It's the culmination of years of work in the background from writer Jonathan Kasdan, the original film's director Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, and even Davis himself to bring the beloved Nelwyn back to screens everywhere. While only a teaser of the series was shown, interviews with Davis, Kasdan, and more during the panel taught us a bit about the series that previously was left unsaid.
It was revealed that Willow takes place roughly 200 years after the film with a much older, wiser Willow Ufgood taking the reins. Now 34 years removed from the film, the world still has that same whimsical feel as it did in 1988, albeit with a much higher budget to capture its splendor. Willow is called back to adventure by a princess named Kit (Ruby Cruz) who asks for his help in rescuing her twin brother. Joining them is a diverse, international cast headlined by Erin Kellyman, Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Amer Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, and Talisa Garcia with Joanne Whalley also returning to the franchise as Sorsha. Add in Ralph Ineson and Rosabell Laurenti Sellers in currently unknown roles along with Davis' real-life daughter Annabelle Davis and his stunt double son Lloyd Davis and you have quite the cast.
Willow received its first trailer during the event which teases the world we're re-entering with the Disney+ series while showing off an older Willow and the new companions he'll now lead. Aside from being pure fantasy eye candy, it also gives us some clues as to what the story entails. Years after Willow helped ensure the safety of a baby who would lead to the downfall of the evil Bavmorda, the balance of the universe is upset once again, leading him and his new party of heroes on a journey of great danger far beyond the lands they know to save the world. As discussed at the panel, this Willow is a bit different though. Hardened from his adventures in the first film and now the most powerful sorcerer there is, he now knows enough about the world and the dangers that lie within to act as a leader and mentor to the new generation of heroes.
Kasdan and Davis also teased how Willow will allow a greater chance to explore more of the world and the creatures that live in it. Moreover, it's a chance to follow up on the story of Elora and who exactly she grew up to become after the events of the first film. With such a big fantasy world and new, unknown lands that our new heroes will venture out to, there's so much left untouched by Willow's first adventure.
Cruz, Kellyman, and Bamber talked a bit during their interview about just who their characters are. Perhaps the biggest revelation is that Cruz's character Kit is not just a princess, but the daughter of Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) and Sorsha, providing a direct tie to the first film through Willow's previous companions. While Kilmer himself won't be in the upcoming series, Kasdan promised fans that Madmartigan is still involved heavily in the story and that the veteran actor stayed in the loop on the narrative. Kellyman, meanwhile, plays Jade, the best friend of Kit who's undergoing training to become a knight, making her skills invaluable in the journey ahead. Finally, there's Bamber as the kitchen maid Dove who has a crush on Kit's brother and spends most of her time cooking and working around the castle.
The biggest reveal of all to come out of the celebration, however, is that we now have an official release date for the series. Willow will officially come to Disney+ on November 30. With Kasdan, Howard, Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan all working on the series with a talented cast full of returning favorites and beloved stars throughout the Lucasfilm universe, everything is coming into place for the show to properly follow up the beloved fantasy film.