Exclusive: Warwick Davis says pump the breaks on Willow… but he’s still excited
Who’s ready for more Willow? Well, let’s pump the brakes a little. At least that’s what the titular star of that classic film Warwick Davis told ComingSoon.net in an exclusive interview. While Davis acknowledged that the upcoming TV series based on the Ron Howard-George Lucas 1988 fantasy adventure is moving along quite nicely, he was also quick to point out that nothing has been finalized just yet.
“At this stage … the excitement of the fans and the internet, and what have you, has been overwhelming and has actually got a little bit ahead of the reality of things at this stage, which is very flattering,” Davis said. “But all the right people are kind of aligned – it’s like the stars have aligned in the heavens for Willow.”
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Davis cautions that despite writer Jonathan Kasdan recently opening offices to start pre-production, nothing official has been greenlit just yet but maintains that he is still very much excited to return to the world of Willow, mainly to see what the character has been up to after all these years.
“I’d certainly relish the opportunity to play a character that I really enjoyed playing the first time around,” Davis said. “I’m a bit older and a bit wiser as an actor now, and the character would also be a bit older and wiser and I think there’s really an interesting story there. What has happened between the time we saw him in ‘Willow’ and now? Has he mastered the art of sorcery? What has happened there?”
So, while it may be a while before we see Willow battle a couple of ugly trolls, Warwick is right there with us anticipating his return.
“I’m very much excited about the whole prospect,” he said. “I mean, who knew that we would ever come back or consider doing this again? Everything is looking fantastic, but we don’t know as of yet whether this will indeed become a reality. So, fingers crossed. I’m as excited as you are.”
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Willow remains a rip-roaring, fantasy extravaganza, boasting incredible (for its time) FX, great performances, and a masterful score by the late James Horner. You can watch it now on Disney+ or buy a copy of it at Amazon here.
In 1987, Lucas produced Willow, and Howard directed the movie; which featured Warwick Davis as a would-be magician, Willow Ufgood. While the movie only had a modest box office run, Willow has gone on to become a cult film.
Although Willow never got a cinematic sequel, Lucas and former X-Men writer Chris Claremont did create a trilogy of novels set in that world. In 1995, “Shadow Moon” kicked off the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy. In that story, the focus shifted from Willow to Elora Danan, the young girl whom Willow had protected when she was an infant.
Presumably, any Willow sequel series won’t be bound by any of the events of the Shadow War books but will serve as a continuation of the original film’s story.
Are you excited to see the world of Willow again on Disney+? And should Val Kilmer return as Madmartigan? Let us know in the comment section below!
