Cult classic 'Willow' may get a sequel but it won't be called Willow 2
In 1988, director Ron Howard introduced fans to the world of Willow, a fantasy drama where myth and magic meets a whole lot of Val Kilmer-fronted action.
Thirty years since its release, the movie has become a cult classic, and now the filmmaker is tapping on the 80s nostalgia to reveal that a Willow sequel might be in the works.
The revelation comes from Howard himself, who is currently busy doing the rounds, promoting his upcoming space saga, 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', which arrives in theaters on May 25.
Admitting that discussions for a second installment to Willow — originally starring Kilmer and Warwick Davis — is in progress, Howard said, "I don't want to give away too much, but there is a little talk of Willow."
"We wouldn't call it Willow 2, I think it would focus a lot on Elora Danan, although Willow would have to be significantly involved," he told Comicbook.com explaining that there might be a shift in focus.
In the 80s classic, the action revolved around Madmartigan (Kilmer) and Willow (Davis), who are faced with the task of protecting Elora Danan — an infant at the time — from the wrath of Queen Bavmorda.
Indeed, the film was not a box-office smasher, at least at the time, but in the years to come, Willow amassed a dedicated fan following, something on the likes of any other fantasy epic.
And given the current trend of reboots and revivals, the sequel talks for Willow shouldn't come as a big surprise.
However, for Howard, his experience with the Han Solo spinoff is said to have played a major role in the sequel decision.
"I thought about that movie a lot as I was working on Solo because there are certain scenes, especially around some of the Madmartigan stuff, was reminiscent of a character with that kind of swagger and bravado," he told the website adding, "And also some of the humor around some of the action in Willow was something I inspired to get into Solo."
While the discussions are definitely happening, there might be still some time before a sequel is actually materialized. In the meantime, Howard has a lot on his plate — especially with the impending release of 'Solo: A Star Wars Story' on May 25.