'Willow' Is the '80s Lucasfilm Reboot You Didn't Know You Needed
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
The '80s were rife with popular sci-fi and fantasy films like Labyrinth, The Never-Ending Story, and of course the ongoing Star Wars franchise headed by George Lucas. So you'd be forgiven if you forgot another standout film from the tail-end of the decade, 1988's Willow.
Starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, and Joanne Whalley, Willow follows an aspiring wizard who comes to care for a baby. But once the child is stolen, Willow must embark on a perilous journey to get the child back, only to realize the baby is part of a greater prophecy and is the key to defeating a powerful evil sorceress. By the end of the film, he defeats the sorceress, saves the baby, and returns home triumphant and with a gifted spellbook.
Directed by Ron Howard and written by George Lucas, Willow was a box office success and even garnered two Academy Award nominations for its notable sound and visual effects. Now the film has been brought back into the fold thanks to Disney's streaming service Disney+, which has created a Willow television series that serves both as a reboot to the franchise and as a 34-years-later sequel to the original film.
Warwick Davis stars once again as Willow, now a full-fledged sorcerer, who embarks on a quest with five other adventurers (including the now grown child he saved previously) to save a kidnapped prince.
The critics score on Rotten Tomatoes is at 86%, which means Willow (the television show), is considered by the consensus to be a strong start to a new series. You shouldn't need to watch the original to understand what's going on in the new show. Still we've got info on how to watch both the original and the television series below.
How to Watch Willow (1988)
Thanks to Disney's 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm, there's one notable place to watch the 1988 film. Willow is available on Disney+ for anyone subscribed to the service.
How to Watch Willow (2022)
Much like the original film, the television series has its home on Disney+. The show premiered on November 30, 2022.
How many episodes are in Willow Season 1?
Season 1 consists of eight episodes. The first two episodes premiered on November 30, 2022.
What time do new episodes of Willow come out?
New episodes of Willow premiere on Wednesdays and will be available on Disney+ at 3:00 AM ET.
Willow Official Release Schedule
Episode 1: Now streaming as of November 30
Episode 2: Now streaming as of November 30
Episode 3: Streaming on December 7
Episode 4: Streaming on December 14
Episode 5: Streaming on December 21
Episode 6: Streaming on December 28
Episode 7: Streaming on January 4
Episode 8: Streaming on January 11
You Might Also Like
