"Willow" fans have long wondered how the new Disney+ series will tie in with Val Kilmer's beloved character Madmartigan. And that answer was revealed through Christian Slater. The new character was announced at the D23 Expo where the actor surprised fans on stage.
Announced by series star Warwick Davis, Slater's character is somehow linked to Madmartigan as a "friend", but that will be revealed later. “You have so much energy, I can't wait until you see it, it's great,” Davis said.
Slater seemed quite impressed with the ability to go rogue on set. “This was a really fun character, we had to improve a bit, we made things up at the time that were fun,” Slater said.
Creator: Jonathan Kasdan
Stars: Warwick Davis, Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman
A new trailer has also been released showing off more trolls, brownies, and more. Davis and Joanne Whalley reprise their roles as Willow Ufgood and Sorsha, respectively. Set in the magical kingdom of the original film, the series follows an unlikely band of heroes who embark on a perilous quest to save their world.
The cast of the series includes Ruby Cruz ("Mare of Easttown"), Erin Kellyman ("The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"), Ellie Bamber ("The Serpent"), Tony Revolori ("Spider-Man: No Way Home "). , Amar Chadha Patel (“The Third Day”) and Dempsey Bryk (“The Birch”).
Davis and Whalley starred in the original 1988 "Willow" alongside Val Kilmer, Billy Barty and Jean Marsh. The Howard-directed film followed aspiring magician Willow as she helps protect a girl who is destined to unite the kingdoms and destroy an evil queen.
The original film, which was a joint production venture between Lucasfilm, MGM and Imagine Entertainment, received two Oscar nominations in the categories of sound editing and visual effects.
The Disney+ series hails from Imagine Entertainment and Lucasfilm, marking the company's first non-"Star Wars" project since its acquisition by Disney. “Willow” executive producers Jonathan Kasdan and Wendy Mericle serve as executive producers for the sequel series, along with Howard, Michelle Rejwan and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. Bob Dolman, a writer on the original film, is serving as a consulting producer.
“Willow” will premiere on November 30 on Disney+.