In a new Twitter post, Jon M. Chu has revealed that he will sadly be unable to direct Disney+’s upcoming Willow series. Chu explains “the timing is just not going to work for me and my family” because of “the production schedule moving due to continued lockdowns in the UK” as well as a new baby on the way. You can check out the filmmaker’s full post below!
Personal Update on Willow for @disneyplus that I’ve been working on… pic.twitter.com/eS7uurCMfg
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) January 11, 2021
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Penned by Jonathan Kasdan (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and showrun by Kasdan and Wendy Mericle (Arrow), the series will take place years after the events of the original film and will introduce all-new characters to the enchanted realm of fairy queens and two-headed Eborsisk monsters, while also welcoming back its titular hero, Willow Ufgood, with Warwick Davis set to reprise the role.
Cast members also include Erin Kellyman (Solo: A Star Wars Story, Raised by Wolves, Life), Cailee Spaeny (The Craft: Legacy, Bad Times at the El Royale, Devs), and Ellie Bamber (High Resolution, Nocturnal Animals, Les Misérables).
The series “revolves around a group on a mission to save a kidnapped prince. The members of the team include Dove (Bamber), whose backstory resembles that of Willow from the movie. Dove is an unassuming kitchen maid who proves that she is the “chosen one” as she embarks on the journey. She is joined by Kit (Spaeny), the princess whose twin brother was abducted. She is destined to be a leader and ultimately the queen. Kellyman plays Jade, a servant who is Kit’s best friend and moral compass. She is on her way to becoming the best young warrior in the kingdom. Also part of the group is a guy who echoes Val Kilmer’s character in the movie. A thief and liar, he joins the quest in exchange for getting out of prison.”
Click here to purchase the beloved 1988 fantasy adventure!
Kasdan, Mericle, Ron Howard, Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, and Imagine Television will executive produce, while Roopesh Parekh and Hannah Friedman will serve as co-executive producers. Original screenwriter Bob Dolman is also set to serve as consulting producer on the series.
The series will also mark Lucasfilm’s first venture into non-Star Wars storytelling since 2015 after the critically and commercially unsuccessful fantasy animated adventure Strange Magic, which was based on a story from its titular founder that took over 15 years to bring to the screen.
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While a production start date has yet to be announced, Willow is eyeing to return to the landscapes of Wales for shooting after filming there in the source material.
(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)
