''Didn't serve the movie any justice'': Twitter relieved as Disney+ cancels Willow after season 1

Willow won’t be back for another round. The TV series, which was the sequel to the 1988 blockbuster of the same name, hit Disney+ on November 30, 2022. It ran for eight episodes with the finale airing on January 11, 2023.

Since then, there has been buzz about the second season as the TV show earned positive reviews from critics. Unfortunately, audiences didn't particularly enjoy the show, as evidenced by their joy when the news of the cancelation was made public.

Fan reacting to cancelation news. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Willow was developed by screenwriter Jonathan Kasdan and starred Warwick Davis as the returning titular character of Willow Ufgood. Joanne Whalley, Kevin Pollak, and Rick Overton also reprised their respective roles on the show.

Meanwhile, Val Kilmer, who played the character of disgraced knight Madmartigan in the film, didn’t appear in the series. He did have a special voice cameo though in the sixth episode.

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"Show was awful'': fans comment after Willow gets canceled

Willow, being bankrolled by Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment, had a lot of buzz around it. After all, the film left an indelible mark in people’s minds, and from the series, they wanted to learn what Willow and the others were up to.

When it first aired, critics praised the high fantasy adventure TV series, giving it an 86% approval rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The show also received a nod at the 34th GLAAD Media Awards under the Outstanding New TV Series category.

However, there was a disparity between critical and audience reception. It started out as the third most streamed TV series, but the love soon trickled down when the finale was broadcast. So, the wait for a second season was almost negative.

Fans reacting to cancelation news. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Fans happy after receiving cancelation news. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Fans elated after series got canceled. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

But not all were in opposition. Some did appreciate Warwick Davis’ performance, the cinematography, and other factors.

The support brigade. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

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Why was the TV series canceled though?

Deadline reported that the adventure show getting called off was a result of Lucasfilm reassessing its slate of films. This came after comments made by Disney CEO Bob Iger last week.

Igor said that Disney+ is treading carefully when it comes to tentpole brands like Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm (Star Wars included). He added:

“We're still developing Star Wars films, but we’re going to make sure when we make one, it’s the right one. So we’re being very careful there.”

However, it needs to be noted that Willow is crucial intellectual property (IP) for the Lucasfilm database, so the Nelwyn farmer-sorcerer might be back.

For now, Davis is gearing up for the release of Valeria 3D Movie and might also host ITV’s quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? replacing Jeremy Clarkson.