FANTASY Why is Willow, the sequel to Ron Howard’s 1988 film, so eagerly awaited?
Warwick Davis is the hero of the “Willow” series. — 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
- The Willow series, sequel to Ron Howard’s 1988 film, launches this Wednesday on Disney+.
- Warwick Davis There, he resumes his Nelwin costume in the title role.
- How did the 1988 film become cult? Why is this sequel so eagerly awaited by fans? Genesis of the project, story, characters… We explain everything to you.
2022 will have marked; comeback of elves, dragons and other wizards! After Sandmanon Netflix, House of the Dragon on HBO and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Poweron Amazon Prime Video, it’s Disney+ turn to draw what could become his great heroic fantasy saga. Willow, an eight-episode series launched this Wednesday on the big-eared platform, is the sequel to the eponymous 1988 feature film by Ron Howard. Why is this sequel so long awaited?
Willow is a cult film for an entire generation. It’s this VHS that we watched over and over, as children, with The Neverending Story, the Indiana Jones or Star Wars >. The idea of Willow was born in 1972 in the imagination of the creator of the galaxy far, far away…
A tribute to Tolkien’s Middle-earth
George Lucas dreamed of making his Lord of the Rings, but doesn’t get the rights. He decides to invent a story, initially titled Munchkins.
Once upon a time there was the kingdom of the Daïkinis, ruled by by the cruel Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). While a prediction announces the birth of a princess called to To dethrone her, the terrible queen orders the killing of all the newborns here. Elora, the baby of the prophecy, will escape the massacre at the way of Moses.
She was taken in by a Nelwin, a small farmer named Willow Ufgoo. This unlikely hero will embark on a quest, which will lead to the fall of the evil queen, helped by a cast of friends including the fairy Cherlindrea (Maria Holvoe), the bushy knight Madmartigan (Val Kilmer, at the top of her game) and the queen’s own daughter, Sorsha (Joanne Whalley).
< p>His pitch pays homage to; Middle-earth: the Shire of the Hobbits becomes the land of the Nelwyns, the elf Galadriel gives way to the fairy Cherlindrea, etc.
A related work of “Star Wars”
The family links with Star Warsdon’t stop at George Lucas. Madmartigan, a smirking antihero, is reminiscent of Han Solo, Sorsha, the rebellious and warrior princess, Leia Organa and the candid and courageous Willow, who will discover that he has a power over time. epic, Luke Skywalker.
George Lucas waits for the end of his trilogy at; success to devote himself fully to; Willow. On the set of Return of the Jedi, George Lucas sees the potential of a young English actor, Warwick Davis, who plays the role of the ewok Wicket. He shapes his story around him and offers him the role of Willow Ufgoo. George Lucas also offers a caméo à; Kenny Baker, the eternal R2D2.
Innovative special effects
He entrusts the production to Ron Howard during post-production of Cocoon. The two men have known each other since Howard played. in American Graffiti. The scenario is entrusted to to Bob Dolman, whom Lucas enjoyed; work on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.
Sound design includes Ben Burtt – the engineer his who created the cry of Chewbacca, at the music, James Horner, who will later sign the soundtracks of Braveheart, Jumanji, Titanic, Stalingrad, or even Avatar.
Animatronics , mate paintings, layering and stop motion… In 1988, the special effects of Willowimpress. Willow inaugurates the first special morphing effects, reused in the famous music video Black or White by Michael Jackson in 1991. The sublime landscapes of New Zealand, too.
One of the rare fantasy films of the 1980s
After the failures of Krull, Legend and Labyrinth, fantasy is considered too risky a genre; by Hollywood in those years. George Lucas struggles to find a co-producer, but manages to have the film distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Willow,presented to Cannes in 1988 plunges the viewer into a very classic fantasy world. This ode to; Childhood, mixed with a good dose of humor and second degree, acquires the status of cult film alongside the rare fantasy films of the time such as the virile < em>Conan, the Barbarian by John Milius, the bloody Excalibur by John Boorman, or the dark Dark Crystal by Jim Henson.
Three video games have been from the movie. Chris Claremont even offers a sequel to the film in novel form, a trilogy published between 1995 and 2000 as the Chronicles of the Shadow War.
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I‘ACCEPT
A series with the same creative team as the film
“I hope we get a chance to see a Older Willow in action,” Varietyin 2019. In 2020, Lucasfilm announces that the Willow series will be released on Disney+ in 2022 with Warwick Davis still in the costume of Willow Ufgood.
If Ron Howard does not Not taking over the director’s chair for the series, he serves as executive producer alongside Lucasfilm regulars Kathleen Kennedy and Jonathan Kasdan. The latter, co-writer of Solo : A Star Wars Story,serves as showrunner. The film’s screenwriter Bob Dolman serves as consulting producer. entrusted to Stephen Woolfenden (Outlander), Jamie Childs (His Dark Materials), Philippa Lowthorpe (The Crown) and Debs Paterson (A Discovery of Witches).
Joanne Whalley reprises her role as Sorsha, the daughter of Bavmorda, the antagonist, who has become a staunch ally and protector of the child Willow was carrying. Val Kilmer, will not be part of the cast due to his health problems, but his character will be part of the story. Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) is announced as in a role that would be linked to to Madmartigan.
A new quest for Willow
Twenty years after the events of the film, Queen Sorsha’s son is kidnapped. by evil creatures. His sister Kit (Ruby Cruz seen in Mare of Easttown), Jade, aspiring knight (Erin Kellyman seen in Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Dove, a servant (Ellie Bamber seen in The Serpent) go to; meeting Willow, who has become a powerful wizard, to ask for his help. Once again, Willow will embark on a new quest against the forces of evil. A saga that promises to be epic, funny, family… and cult?