Disney+ Cancels "Willow" After Just 1 Season
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Fans of Disney+'s "Willow" reboot are in for a major disappointment. Just two months after the series finished its first, eight-episode run on the streamer in January, Deadline is reporting the show has been canceled. POPSUGAR reached out to Disney+ for confirmation of the cancellation, but did not immediately hear back.
Helmed by Ron Howard, the Warwick Davis-led original 1988 movie chronicles the story of a sorcerer named Willow who embarks on a journey to safeguard an infant fated to bring down a tyrannical queen. The followup fantasy series serves as a continuation of the eponymous film, picking up 20 years after the events of the movie, as Willow teams up with a group of young heroes to save their world from monsters called the Gales.
On March 15, Deadline announced that "Willow" was not renewed for a second season on Disney+, despite the show having been well-received critically and having built a passionate, if not niche, fanbase.
The only upside to this news is that although "Willow" will be ending in its current form, Deadline reports that the story and characters could be revisited in the future. In the meantime, you can still watch "Willow" season one in its entirety on Disney+. Here's everything to know about the series.
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Disney+'s "Willow" Series Plot
Set two decades after the original movie's timeline, the latest incarnation ups the ante by introducing high-stakes challenges to our group of protagonists, including the beloved aspiring Nelwyn magician Willow. According to Disney+'s official synopsis, "Willow" is set in "an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty," where "brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world."
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Disney+'s "Willow" Series Cast
The revival series brought back Davis, who reprised his titular role of Willow Ufgood. Other original cast members that joined the series included Joanne Whalley as Queen Sorsha, a fierce warrior and daughter of Queen Bavmorda.
New faces in the franchise included Ellie Bamber, Tony Revolori, Erin Kellyman, Ruby Cruz, Amar Chadha-Patel, Dempsey Bryk, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Talisa Garcia, and Cailee Spaeny.
The colead of the cult classic, Madmartigan, played by Val Kilmer — who appeared in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick" — did not participate in the series.
Disney+'s "Willow" Series Trailers
The trailer for the "Willow" series was unveiled during the Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment's 2022 Star Wars Celebration event in Anaheim, which took place on May 26 of last year. The teaser set the ground for brand-new adventures as Davis's Willow ponders in the voiceover: "There is a balance between all things – light and shadow, good and evil. When that balance is upset, the universe corrects." As he braces for a battle against a new evil, he concludes, "Into the unknown. That's where we must go."
