{"id":36981,"date":"2023-02-01T11:46:11","date_gmt":"2023-02-01T19:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wormholeriders.com\/blog\/?p=36981"},"modified":"2023-02-01T11:46:11","modified_gmt":"2023-02-01T19:46:11","slug":"willow-the-epic-saga-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wormholeriders.com\/blog\/2023\/02\/01\/willow-the-epic-saga-continues\/","title":{"rendered":"Willow – The Epic Saga Continues!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Willow<\/a>
\nWelcome Willow lovers<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Willow<\/a>
Image courtesy Disney Plus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Growing up in the 1980s, I was exposed to many great fantasy films that have left an indelible mark on my life. One of those films is the 1988 film Willow<\/a>, directed by Ron Howard<\/a> with the story by the legendary George Lucas<\/a> and written by Bob Dolman<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Movies like Willow bring a sense of adventure, wonder, humor, fantasy, and a deep love of storytelling that has been a part of movie making since the beginning. So when I heard whispers about Willow again in the last few years, I prayed to the movie gods that it would not be remade. I was hoping for a sequel. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Willow<\/a>
Image courtesy Disney Plus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Instead, we heard word that there was going to be a series on Disney plus. I was elated to hear that, as the story of Willow and Elora Danan<\/a> (Ellie Bamber<\/a>) was far from over. A great aspect of the series is that in the first season conclusion, an alternate version of Elora appeared in a nod to the alternate versions of Fringe<\/a> characters more than a decade ago. An Elora series would also give the creators and writers more freedom to expand that universe.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Movies with a certain nostalgia for them become a beloved part of the fandom or even a standard by which all subsequent fantasy movies should use as a template. Willow was my The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring<\/a> before the actual movies came to be. Willow had everything you could have wished for\u2026magic, folklore, good, evil, sorcery, swashbuckling swordsman, humor, adventure, and a reluctant hero who saves the day. Willow is so beloved that I wept tears of joy when I finally saw a teaser trailer for the series. That trailer brought me back to that place decades ago when I first saw Willow and how watching it made me feel. It had all the elements that made the movie great.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Willow<\/a>
Image courtesy Disney Plus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was also thrilled to see two beloved cast members reprising their roles in the series. Joanne Whalley<\/a> (Sorsha) and Warwick Davis<\/a> were back for the Willow, making the series much more wonderful. Of course, the one person fans all wanted to see rejoin the series was Val Kilmer<\/a> as Madmartigan. Unfortunately, we did not get Val, as he has been sick from throat cancer for the last few years. Madmartigan was such an integral part of the original film that his absence was missed. I am glad the creators decided not to recast him or use deep fake to bring him back but instead chose to keep him in the fold by being mentioned several times throughout the series. The series creators cast Dempsey Bryk<\/a> (Airk), who bears a resemblance to a young Val Kilmer.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I had the utmost faith in Disney plus because so far, all the series (at least the ones I have seen) have been massive hits, and with Ron Howard as an executive producer, I felt confident the series would be everything the movie was and more. My expectations were higher than they usually would be, considering how much I love the original film. I also had confidence that the budget for creatures, costumes, and sets would be epic, with Disney backing the series.
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