The reviews for Willow, the Disney+ sequel series to Lucasfilm's cult-classic movie, are in and the critics can't get enough of Warwick Davis' return.

After waiting nearly 35 years, fans of Willow Ufgood, the eponymous Nelwyn sorcerer, can rejoin him for another high-fantasy adventure. Given the relative obscurity of the franchise in comparison to Lucasfilm's other major properties, including Indiana Jones and Star Wars, many critics voiced their surprise at Willow's overall quality. Variety's Joshua Alston describes the show as the "perfect balance of reverence and irreverence," elaborating that the sequel is one of Disney+'s best original offerings to date. These sentiments were shared by Hayden Mears, writing for TVLine, who notes that Willow succeeds because of its accessibility which is achieved through its "boiled-down lore and steadfast commitment to fun."

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Collider reviewer Maggie Boccella states that while they were cautious of another revival of a cult-classic '80s franchise, Willow succeeds because it's able to build on what came before. "The Disney+ series captures the kingdom of Tir Asleen with the same beauty and epic scope as the original production, drawing you into a compelling and gorgeous world from the first episode," writes Boccella. Despite this praise, The Hollywood Reporter found the constant callbacks to the source material tiresome and wrote, noting that the series falls into a predictable formula faster than expected.

Set years after the original Willow movie concluded, the sequel sees Davis' character thrust into another madcap adventure when he's recruited to track down the kidnapped royal Airk, son of Tir Asleen ruler Sorsha. The show features several members of the original cast reprising their roles, with many having grown older and more jaded in their aged years.

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One cast member who was meant to return for the series was original star Val Kilmer who unfortunately had pulled out of shooting due to his ongoing recovery from throat cancer. "We were prepping in the spring of the year that it was most happening," explained showrunner Jonathan Kasdan. "And Val reluctantly didn't feel he could come out. We had to figure out a way to preserve the story we wanted to tell with him about how his story was playing out." While Kilmer may not return, the filmmaker promised that his character, the swordsman Madmartigan, will still live on and have a presence in the Willow series.

Willow is now streaming on Disney+

Source: Variety, TVLine, Collider, The Hollywood Reporter