#warwick davis

Willow premiered on Disney+ in 2022, a sequel to the cult classic 1988 movie of the same name. The movie Willow follows its titular character, played by Warwick Davis, who is tasked with bringing a baby to safety, as the child is foretold to be the downfall of the evil queen. Davis and original star Joanne Whalley both reprise their roles in the series.

In the latter Willow, the baby Elora Danan is now a young woman (Ellie Bamber) who joins Willow and a group of new characters on another magical adventure. Despite eagerness from the team to continue the story, Willow was cancelled shortly after its season finale at the beginning of 2023.

Moreover, Willow has now disappeared from Disney+ entirely. The fantasy series was one of nearly 50 titles removed from Disney+ in May 2023 as part of the cost-cutting measures being implemented at the time. Disney CFO Christine McCarthy explained that the company was able to deduct the value of the removed content from its balance sheet for a tax break.

A TV show like Renegade Nell works as a standalone season, though it clearly leaves loose threads for a follow-up, making it frustrating to fans that they will never see it. But viewers can still return to it any time. Davis called out Disney on X in 2023, saying:

I meet lovely people on a daily basis who are fans of Willow, who are the reason the Disney+ series was made. Please tell me what do I say to these subscribers when they ask why they can’t watch the series any more? #embarrassing

While Disney clearly has no intention of financing another Willow project, with it being unavailable on streaming, in the digital era, it is like it never existed at all. And yet, Willow has a lot to offer that would have made it worth the chance to see what it could become after season 1. It has an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score and some amazingly underrated talent, such as Ruby Cruz and Erin Kellyman, for starters. Critics described it as charming and not overly serious, while also praising a sincere queer storyline.

Alex Harrison argues in ScreenRant's TV review for Willow: "But the guiding principle seems to be making something fun rather than self-important. In this era of treating every piece of IP like a form of scripture, that's a refreshing change of pace." Notably, Region Free's Joonatan Itkonen says: "The series knows its capacity for greatness."