Willow star Warwick Davis has finally decided to address the show's cancellation and subsequent removal from Disney+, describing the decision to stop people from being able to watch the 8-episode sequel as "embarrassing."
After a largely muted response to the long-awaited revival from fans and critics alike, the decision was made to cancel plans for future seasons back in March. However, amid a series of cost-cutting measures, the House of Mouse completely removed it from Disney+ just two months later.
"I meet lovely people on a daily basis who are fans of Willow," Davis said on Twitter/X, "who are the reason the [Disney+] Series was made. Please tell me [Disney], what do I say to these subscribers when they ask why they can’t watch the series any more?" He concluded his post with the hashtag, "#Embarrassing."
The series, based on George Lucas and Ron Howard's fantasy-adventure film, began streaming on Disney+ last November, and there was initially a lot of excitement surrounding the long-overdue return to Andowyne. The original movie has become a beloved cult classic since it was released in 1988, and fans were eager to see what became of Davis' Willow Ufgood.
Unfortunately, the story told simply wasn't that compelling; the spotlight shifted to younger cast members (Ellie Bamber's take on Elora Danan was a highlight, though the same couldn't be said for the rest of the ensemble) and Davis' work...well, his stilted performance did little to help the series.
Still, to pull Willow completely from streaming feels unnecessarily harsh and there's now no way for fans to watch the show. It's yet to find a new home and, with no physical release, the only way to watch is to pirate it (and, given the risks involved there - including the fact it's illegal - we wouldn't recommend it).
Set in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls and other mystical creatures flourish, Willow is the story of an unlikely group of heroes who set off on a dangerous quest, facing their inner demons and coming together to save their world.
Willow is bound to show up somewhere down the line but we don't anticipate the story ever continuing.