Director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) revealed on his Twitter account that he is stepping down as the director of the planned Willow sequel series for Disney+. The series was officially announced in October of 2020, with Chu planning to work alongside producer Ron Howard, who directed the original, and showrunners Jonathan Kasdan (Solo) and Wendy Mericle (Arrow). It would mark the first non-Star Wars project to come out of Lucasfilm since the animated film Strange Magic in 2015.
The original film, which opened in theaters in 1988, centered on Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn dwarf. He's tasked with protecting a young baby who a prophecy foretold would be the downfall of the evil Queen Bavmorda, the villainous ruler of Nockmaar. Chu, who has a big-screen adaptation of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical In the Heights set for release this summer, was hard at work developing the Willow series and even had much of his cast chosen (Warwick Davis will return in the title role alongside Erin Kellyman, Cailee Spaeny, and Ellie Bamber). Things were moving quickly in pre-production, but progress has now hit a major roadblock.
Chu posted an update on his personal Twitter account explaining that he would be stepping away from his role as director. He described himself as "devastated" he will no longer be working on the Willow show, which has been in the works since 2019.
When the news of a Willow sequel series was announced, Chu described it as "bigger than a dream come-true. It’s a bucket-list moment for me," which makes it even more disappointing he's no longer directing. The good news is Chu isn't leaving Willow because of "creative differences" or clashes with the studio, but simply because he and his wife are expecting a baby. Since the COVID-19 delays were out of his control, Chu had to make the move that was right for him and his family. Even more bittersweet is that Chu and his wife named their first daughter Willow, now 3 years old, after the movie, which inspired Chu as a young filmmaker.
Lucasfilm and Disney+ have yet to comment on Chu's departure and what it may mean for production, but Willow was one of the projects Kathleen Kennedy highlighted at the recent Disney Investor Day, so it's unlikely Chu's departure will significantly slow down development. It's possible Lucasfilm could ask Howard to return to direct the show's pilot (almost 35 years after directing the original), or even his daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard, who directed two episodes of the Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
Not much is known about the plot of the Willow series, but Lucasfilm has said it will "introduce all-new characters to the enchanted realm." This could entice directors interested in putting their own spin on the classic movie's world. Hopefully, whichever filmmaker takes over the project is as excited about it as Cho clearly was.
Source: Jon M. Chu