In 1988, Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer led George Lucas’ fantasy epic Willow, years after the success of the unique Star Wars trilogy.The story is now revisited in a sequel Disney+ collection of the identical title.
Davis stars as sorcerer Willow Ufgood within the present, however followers of the unique will discover that Kilmer has not returned because the mercenary swordsman Madmartigan.
There is nice cause for this, and showrunner Jonathan Kasdan has addressed why the actor was unable to return to the franchise.
Why Val Kilmer Is Not Returning to ‘Willow’ on Disney+
Lucasfilm Ltd./Getty Images/Rob Kim
In the unique Willow, Kilmer’s Madmartigan helps Willow on his quest to guard the child Elora Danan from the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh), who needs to kill the kid earlier than she will fulfill the prophecy of bringing about her downfall.
After defeating Bavmorda, Madmartigan and the queen’s daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) fall in love and want to elevate Elora as their very own.
This plot stays a key a part of the Willow TV collection, with each Davis and Whalley returning to their respective roles. It is revealed that Sorsha is now queen. Her twins with Madmartigan—Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz) and Prince Airk (Dempsey Bryk)—are important to the story.
Kilmer was unable to return to his position due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as he couldn’t journey to Wales the place the present was being filmed.
Showrunner Kasdan spoke to Gizmodo about Kilmer’s absence, saying: “Val has been a great ally of the show. From the moment we got going, sort of the first conversation I had after we had some momentum was to go over and see Val and say, ‘We want to do this and we want you to be in it.’
“And he wished to be in. He wished to take part. And it was actually the truth of COVID that prevented him from coming to Wales in that essential second.”
Despite Kilmer being unable to painting his character once more, the present does make references to Madmartigan. It retains his spirit alive via the plot as Kit and Arik clarify that their father left to go on an journey however by no means returned.
Of this, Kasdan added that they’d at all times meant for Madmartigan to be “absent at the start of the story,” and this could have been the case even when Kilmer had been capable of return.
Kasdan defined: “Much of it was going to be about Kit’s journey to sort of reconcile what happened there.”
Kilmer was final seen on display in Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to Top Gun (1986), taking part in Admiral Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky.
It has not but been revealed if Willow can be a restricted collection on Disney+, but when not, and if the present have been to be renewed for a second season, then the truth that Madmartigan continues to be alive within the story means Kilmer might probably return to the franchise.
The first two episodes of Willow are out on Disney+ now, and the present will air weekly on the streaming platform.