Where to watch Willow, the new TV sequel to the original film
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.
If you’ve seen the 1988 film Willow, you’ll be thrilled to hear that this American fantasy classic is returning as an eight-episode streaming series from Lucasfilm. How will this tale pick up where Willow left off after his original quest? How many familiar heroes and villains will return in this series that takes place decades later? And who are all these new faces? Luckily, we already have some answers, but we’ll find out more when the Willow TV series hits Disney+ on November 30.
The Willow series was filmed in Wales, where several scenes from the movie were also shot. Created by Jonathan Kasdan, with original director Ron Howard serving as an exec producer, the eight-part show will drop new episodes weekly on Wednesdays (around 3 a.m. Eastern, if past Disney+ originals are any indication).
Get on the nice list. Sign up for our newsletter to get all the best gift guides, deals and holiday planning advice.
Where to watch the Willow TV series
You can stream Willow, and everything else Disney+ has to offer, starting on November 30. The streaming service is available via internet connection if you live in Australia, Austria, Canada, the Channel Islands, France, Germany, India, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Italy, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, or the U.S.
Disney’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform can be accessed from desktop browsers, mobile devices, game consoles and more.
Disney+ is home to content from Walt Disney Studios, Marvel, Disney Channel original series, Pixar films and shorts, Star Wars and National Geographic titles. The platform is constantly adding new content such as Andor, Thor: Love and Thunder, Hocus Pocus 2 and more.
What is Willow about?
In the film, Willow becomes protector of Elora Danan, the baby prophesied to one day overthrow Queen Bavmorda. With the help of a powerful sorceress, he vanquishes the queen and saves the royal realm. The new series is inspired by that original tale, yet now Willow is a wiser magician who battles monsters and creatures alongside other heroes. They set out to save the prince, twin brother of a new character called Kit, as well as the world.
Warwick Davis of course reprises the role of Willow, the delightful hero from the film. Ruby Cruz will be playing Kit, who seeks out Willow for help to save her twin. Joanna Whalley is returning as Sorsha, now queen of the kingdom. We also know that Erin Kellyman plays Jade, Kit’s best friend; Ellie Bamber is Dove, a kitchen maid who joins the rescue mission; and Kevin Pollak will be back as Rool.
The eight-part series went into production in mid-2021 and will take place decades after the time period of the film. Originally, it had Jon M. Chu on board as director, but he stepped down due to scheduling conflicts caused by a new baby and COVID-19 lockdowns. Instead, the series was directed by Debs Paterson, Stephen Woolfenden, and Jamie Childs.
Will Val Kilmer be in the new Willow series?
Of course, we are all eager to find out if Val Kilmer, recognizably known from the film as Madmartigan, will be returning to Willow on Disney+. Kilmer has appeared in many films over the years, such as Top Gun: Maverick, Tombstone, Batman Forever and more.
According to Yahoo, Kilmer played a significant part in the development of the series, but will not be seen on screen this time around. Instead, we will see Christian Slater, who is playing a friend of Madmartigan in the new series.
After the original Willow, Kilmer married his co-star, Joanne Whalley. They were married from 1988 to 1996, and had a daughter (Mercedes Kilmer) and son (Jack Kilmer) together.
How much is Disney Plus and how do I sign up?
To watch Willow when it premieres, you can subscribe to Disney+ today starting at $7.99 or $79.99 for a year’s subscription. Consider investing in a bundle with Hulu or ESPN to get the most out of your subscription, or even subscribing for a year to save a little extra money.
Disney+ is available on devices like Apple products, Roku streaming devices, Google Chromecast, Android phones and TV devices, Xbox, PlayStation, LG TVs, Samsung products, Chrome OS, Mac OS or Windows PC.
In addition to all of its new content, Disney+ is also home to classic films like Aladdin, Robin Hood, A Bug’s Life and The Princess and the Frog that you can watch on-demand, along with Disney Channel Original shows and TV series like Elena of Avalor, Kim Possible and The Owl House.
They also have a lot of properties you might not expect, like The Princess Bride, The Simpsons, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and more.
Find gift ideas and deals from our experts. Sign up for text message alerts from the experts at Reviewed.
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Where to watch Willow TV series, release date, cast, story and more
