It’s been 34 years since Willow was released in theaters. The original movie follows the story of Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh), an evil sorceress, who sees a vision of her downfall through a prophecy of a baby born with a specific rune birthmark. Now Disney plus has a new series based on the feature film. Here is everything you need to know about Willow on Disney+
Obsessed with defeating her enemy, Queen Bavmmorda then imprisons all pregnant women in her kingdom and, when the child is born, kills her mother and sends her evil hounds after the midwife, who smuggled the baby out of the castle. The midwife sends the baby downriver to save her from the evil queen’s grasp. The baby is then found by WIllow Ufgood, who comes to love her, but is ultimately forced to give her up by order of a dwarf elder, which sets off a series of events, ultimately bringing the downfall of the evil queen.
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Willow is an all-new, live-action fantasy series based on the movie released in 1988, starring Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis. The series premiered on November 30th only on Disney+. The story begins with an aspiring magician from a Newlyn village and an infant who would grow up to help defeat an evil queen and banish dark forces. This act would unite the realms together. But, unfortunately, the forces of evil are on the rise again, and mystical creatures of all types are at risk. Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis), a Newlyn Dwarf sorcerer, now leads a group of eccentric heroes on a mission to rescue Airk (Dempsey Bryk), the twin brother of Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz).
The series has a group of directors that have helmed shows like Doctor Who (Jamie Childs), Outlander (Stephen Woolfenden), A Discovery of Witches (Debs Paterson), and The Crown (Philippa Lowthorpe). The writers are John Bickerstaff, Jonathan Kasdan, and Hannah Friedman, who has worked on the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
Because the series is visual effect heavy, viewers should use caution when watching due to flashing lights. So, If you are photosensitive, use caution when watching.
As far as content goes, so far, there are reports of frightening imagery and intense themes. Also, there are mild depictions of drug and alcohol use. The first episode depicts sexual scenes between two women. The series is rated as TV-14, but take caution if you plan on watching this series with your kids out of nostalgia. You may want to watch the series prior to deciding if you want your children to view the show.
So far, the reception to the series amongst watchers of the original series is more on the negative end, citing tonal changes to the story and characters. The feeling is that the story doesn’t fit exactly with the original. Keep in mind, though, that this is meant to be a reboot based on the movie, not an exact retelling.
IMDB’s current rating, as of writing, is 5.4/10. Rotten Tomatoes has a current rating of 84%. Not everyone feels negative about it, though. One rater, GuangHong Ji, says, “So far, I’m liking Willow a lot, and once people can look past their nostalgia and come into the show with an open mind, they will find that it’s actually really good.”
So, don’t let the negative reviews steer you away. Go in with an open mind if you are a viewer of the original film. If you haven’t seen the movie but enjoy a fantasy-adventure film, this is the show for you.
The first three episodes of Willow are available now, with new episodes released every Wednesday on Disney+. Let us know what you think of the show! We can’t wait to watch the whole season!
You can find will on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @WillowOfficial.
That is everything you need to know about Willow on Disney+. Happy watching!
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