Jonathan Kasdan, showrunner of Disney+'s upcoming fantasy series, Willow, is optimistic about a second season of the show and even has hope for a theatrical follow-up.
In an interview with Looper, Kasdan said that there are many stories he wants the series to tell beyond its initial run of episodes. He also shared his hope that Willow will ultimately lead to a big-screen return for the franchise. "We'd love to continue the story on," he said. "Where it seems to be that the street leads from movies to TV, I hope that we're headed toward a moment where the reverse direction can be done too."
However, while Kasdan admitted that he would be interested in a movie, he asserts that the main focus is making the second season of Willow before a theatrical sequel to the original 1988 movie. "The first thing we'd like to do is another season because we've got a lot more that we'd like to tell here," he said.
Willow Ventures Onto Disney+
Disney+ announced in October 2020 that a Willow series was in development starring Warwick Davis, who will reprise his role as the sorcerer Willow Ufgood, a character he first portrayed in the original movie from 1988. The first trailer for Willow was released in May, with the second unveiled during the D23 Expo in September. Along with Davis, Willow stars Ruby Cruz as Kit, Erin Kellyman as Jade, Ellie Bamber as Dove and Christian Slater in a currently unnamed role.
The Disney+ series itself serves as a sequel to the original Willow, which was directed by Ron Howard and based on a story by George Lucas. Howard will serve as an executive producer on the series along with Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Roopesh Parekh and Hannah Friedman. Wendy Mericle will act as a co-showrunner alongside Kasdan.
Along with Davis, the original Willow starred Val Kilmer as Madmartigan, a swordsman who helps Willow during his quest. The movie's cast also included Joanne Whalley as Sorsha, Jean Marsh as Bavmorda and Pat Roach as Kael. While Willow was met with mixed reviews when it was initially released, it would go on to become a cult classic after its release on home media and television reruns.
Kasdan has previously stated that Kilmer will play a crucial role in the series, though the Top Gun: Maverick actor will not appear in Season 1. "We wanted his character to be a part of the story," Kasdan said of Kilmer in May. "We wanted him to be in the show. Because we were shooting during [the COVID-19 lockdowns], he wasn’t able to come to Wales and shoot with us. But he is in the show in a big way. And we’re pretty excited about it. … Madmartigan lives on."
Willow is set to debut on Disney+ on Nov. 30.
Source: Looper