‘Willow’ Series Gets Greenlight At Disney+ With Jon M. Chu To Direct Pilot

The Willow television adaptation has been handed a series order at Disney+.

Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu will direct the pilot for the series, which is slated to begin production next year.

This comes 18 months after news of the development of the adaptation of the movie, directed by Ron Howard from a story by George Lucas, first emerged.

The fantasy film starred Warwick Davis as a reluctant farmer who plays a critical role in protecting a special baby from a tyrannical queen who vows to destroy her and take over the world. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Billy Barty also starred.

Chu will also serve as executive producer along with showrunners Jonathan Kasdan (Solo) and Wendy Mericle (Arrow). Jonathan Kasdan wrote the pilot. Ron Howard, also returns as executive producer on the series with Bob Dolman, writer of the original film, serving as consulting producer. Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Jonathan Kasdan, Wendy Mericle will also serve as executive producers, with Roopesh Parekh and Hannah Friedman as co-executive producers with Julia Cooperman as producer.

The production is set to return to Wales, where much of the original film was shot.

The series marks Lucasfilm’s first venture into non-Star Wars storytelling since 2015 and will take place years after the events of the original film. It introduces all-new characters to the enchanted realm of fairy queens and two-headed Eborsisk monsters, and welcomes back its hero, Willow Ufgood, played once again by Warwick Davis.

“Growing up in the ’80s, Willow has had a profound effect on me,” said Chu. “The story of the bravest heroes in the least likely places allowed me, an Asian-American kid growing up in a Chinese restaurant looking to go to Hollywood, to believe in the power of our own will, determination and of course, inner magic. So the fact that I get to work with my heroes from Kathleen Kennedy to Ron Howard is bigger than a dream come-true. It’s a bucket-list moment for me. Jon Kasdan and Wendy Mericle have added such groundbreaking new characters and delightful surprises to this timeless story that I can’t wait for the world to come along on this epic journey with us.”

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