Willow showrunner Jonathan Kasdan breaks his silence on the series being removed from Disney+, explaining why he’s somewhat in favor of the decision. A sequel to the 1988 film of the same name, with Warwick Davis in the titular role, Willow became one of more than 40 shows and movies to be removed from the Disney+ streaming service. Some of the other originals affected by the decision include Big Shot, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, and The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Kasdan, who developed the Willow series, is now breaking his silence about the fact that it’s being taken off the streaming platform it was created for. The showrunner offers an interesting and optimistic perspective in his tweets, elaborating on how the Disney+ removal takes him back to the days when movies were not readily available and how that makes those projects more special. Kasdan also responds to the idea that Willow is gone forever, indicating that the sequel series could still pop up elsewhere:
Why Are Willow (& Other Shows) Being Removed From Disney+?
The news of several titles being removed from Disney+ was discussed earlier this month by chief financial officer Christine McCarthy, during an earnings call, after revealing that the streaming service lost subscribers in the first three months of 2023. McCarthy noted that the company was in the process of “reviewing the content on our DTC services to align with the strategic changes in our approach to content curation.” According to reports, this is all part of Disney’s push to reduce losses and increase profitability. The removal helps to achieve those goals as it facilitates not having to pay additional fees.
The move is reminiscent of when HBO Max, under new leadership, removed 90 programs from the platform. Some of the most popular titles, such as Westworld, have since resurfaced on free streaming services with advertisements like Tubi and Roku as part of a licensing deal. There is some hope that the same holds true for Disney series like Willow, but at this point, nothing is confirmed.
This could be what Kasdan is referencing with his optimistic and unique response. Even if Willow is saved in some form, a lot of the smaller titles may not receive the same treatment. Overall, the latest removals mark a continuation of a troubling trend with streamers that may very well end up affecting more and more films and movies without physical media to preserve them.
Source: Jon Kasdan