UPDATE! Jon Kasdan Issues Statement on ‘Willow’ Season 2
In a move that will be met with disappointment from some fans and ambivalence from others, Disney has decided to cancel the Willow series after a single season on Disney Plus. Willow is the sequel series — created by Solo scribe Jon Kasdan — to George Lucas’s 1988 original fantasy film of the same name that was directed by Ron Howard and led by Warwick Davis, who returned for this project.
UPDATE!
Jon Kasdan has released a statement on Twitter confirming that Willow season 2 has not been officially canceled. However, given the current streaming landscape, and their desire not to hold down actors who may otherwise get booked for other jobs, it is postponed indefinitely for the time being.
— Jon Kasdan (@JonKasdan) March 17, 2023
Kasdan strikes an optimistic tone in his statement, bringing up examples of shows that have either risen from the proverbial grave or else had nonlinear schedules, such as Party Down, Atlanta, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also points out that the Willow series itself is a sequel to a movie that was released 35 years ago. The overall message reminds me of one notable Star Wars quote, and I hope you’ll forgive me for using it as it’s one we hear often: “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” For fans of the show, there is hope.
Both the movie and the series have a charming — albeit somewhat campy — tone, leaning heavily into the Dungeons & Dragons type of fantasy adventure elements. While I count myself among the disappointed, I can’t say I’m surprised. With Bob Iger’s recent statements regarding Disney’s efforts to hone in on a leaner, more successful streaming strategy, it’s not shocking to learn that Willow would be placed on the chopping block. Despite solid ratings from critics, 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, Willow fizzled on viewership numbers, only pulling in 2.1 million viewers after the first two episodes were released. This number is well under Andor’s 7.6 million viewers, which was seen as a bit of a disappointing result for a Star Wars series. Willow isn’t Star Wars, but it still needed to justify its real estate on the budget reports. According to Disney executives, it failed to do so.
The real salt in the wound here is that — spoilers ahead — in the cliffhanger for season 1, Graydon was lost in some sort of netherworld and facing a seemingly evil, alternate Elora. That will never be resolved, at least not in TV form. We’ll all have to square this within our own head canon, I suppose. While Willow took a bit of a gamble on the limited cult success of the original film, it was able to use the series’ narrative to insert some much-needed contemporary elements into the mainstream on Disney Plus, such as Jade and Kit’s relationship. I sincerely hope that Willow’s postponement does not translate to more conservative plot point wishes from Disney leadership. My message to Disney is this: slim down the budget if you must, calculate more carefully the risks you take on content, but continue to take those risks, nonetheless.
I don’t doubt we’ll continue to hear more news about content slate adjustments happening at Disney. For now, stay up-to-date on all Lucasfilm news right here on SWNN.
When she isn't watching her friends and family's eyes glaze over at the mention of The Clone Wars, she's at the park with her dog, Melvin, or on the couch with a book in one hand and a drink in the other. Physically, she lives in Ohio; spiritually, she lives in Naboo.
