at 450, Jonathan Kasdan and his father saw Fantastic AdventuresWillow and Star Wars writer Lawrence Kasdan . Thirty-four years later, Kasdan — now a co-writer and executive producer on the original film’s reboot series — returned Tuesday to the same theater for Disney+’s Willow .
“It’s kind of like coming home,” executive producer Roopesh Parekh told The Hollywood Reporter. “I think the key to the whole show is Jon Kasdan’s love and passion and enthusiasm. He’s kind of driven the whole thing over the last four years … It’s always been a dream of his to tell our story.”
“We wouldn’t have a series without Jon,” added Warwick Davis, who reprises his eponymous Willow character in the series. “He’s passionate about Willow and really understands what it means to the fans.”
Joanne Whalley, who played Sorsha in the original film, expressed similar sentiments. “I think it was a mixture of fear and excitement, right?” Whalley recalled, not knowing what the reboot would bring. “It was like, ‘Oh my god, really? What the hell are you going to do with it? Please don’t spoil it. But any doubts I might have were quickly dispelled by the fabulous Jon Kasdan. I think he Know this material, perhaps more than anyone involved with this film or the upcoming one.”
Ron Howard , director of the original Willow films, is also an executive producer on the new series. Previously, Howard directed Solo: A Star Wars Story
, Kasdan co-created with his father. It was during the making of the Han Solo prequels that Kasdan first floated the idea of reviving Willow with Howard.
“I’m so excited because I’ve been thinking, once Lucasfilm and [Kathleen Kennedy] are kind of steady going forward at Disney, I really want to push Willow
as a show,” Howard explained. “
George Lucas always thought it should be a series. George and I dreamed of doing it as a show … as Disney+ started picking up steam, I just felt like, ‘Let’s build that vision.’ Jon Kasdan has such a great way to do that, and it’s not about nostalgia or retro , but still staying true to his cinematic roots. He has a great creative instinct for where to put a show.”
Ron Howard and Warwick Davis Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images 1445625543
“For us, the crazy thing about it is that we’re used to standing in the rain, kinda hoping Food, wish we could wrap up, cry, work hard, knee-deep in mud,” Kasdan joked about filming the show in Wales. “It’s not like we’re associated with a lot of glamor and glitz, but here we are [at the premiere]. It’s definitely pretty crazy.”
The series begins 20 Set years after the events of the original film, wizard Willow Ufgood (Davis) leads a group of misfits on a dangerous rescue mission to take down an unknown evil. At the heart of the story is also the journey of three women – Princess Jed (Ruby Cruz), Jed (1445625543 Erin Kellyman ) and Dove (Ellie Bamber).
What it means to grow up as a young woman and the complexities of it, not the picture-perfect idea of what that means,” Cruz said of Her character says, “Romanticizing growing up. I feel like she gave me such an opportunity to show that the messy parts matter and we shouldn’t run away from them. We should pay attention to them. “
“I’m excited for people to learn about our characters and to see them go on this journey,” Kellyman added. , they can find a role that is relevant to them. I think all of our characters are very different, and I think everyone can really find something for themselves.
Davis wants viewers to be “thoroughly entertained and have a great experience and a magical time.” ’ The actor continued, ‘Hopefully this will be something you can sit down with your family and watch. I know this movie is watched by parents, then passed on to their children, then grandparents and so on. I hope the series is similar in that regard. “
Willow is now streaming on Disney+.
