Willow

Willow is a 1988 American dark fantasy drama film directed by Ron Howard. The film was executive produced by George Lucas and written by Bob Dolman from a story by Lucas. The film stars Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, and Jean Marsh. Davis portrays the title character, an aspiring magician who teams up with a disaffected warrior (Kilmer) to protect a young baby princess from an evil queen (Marsh).

In an unnamed fantasy world, the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda of Nockmaar hears of a prophecy that a child with a special rune birthmark will bring about her downfall. As a preventive measure, she imprisons all pregnant women in her domain. The foretold child is born, but her mother persuades the midwife to smuggle the baby out of the castle. Bavmorda executes the mother and sends her wolf-like Nockmaar Hounds after the midwife. With the hounds closing in on her, the midwife sets the baby adrift on a tuft of grass in a river before succumbing to the hounds. Meanwhile, Bavmorda sends her daughter Sorsha (Whalley) and an army led by General Kael to hunt down the baby. The baby girl is later discovered in a river by the children of Willow Ufgood, a dwarf farmer and aspiring sorcerer and is taken into the care of Willow’s family. But when a Nockmaar Hound attacks Willow’s village, whilst tracking down the baby, Willow consults the village council and the wizard The High Aldwin. The High Aldwin orders the baby must return to a Daikini (the Nelwyn’s name for “tall people”) family, so Willow and a party of volunteers including a mercenary swordsman (Kilmer) set out with the baby to find one whilst protecting the baby from the Queen and her army.

Lucas conceived the idea for the film (originally titled Munchkins) in 1972, approaching Howard to direct during the post-production phase of Cocoon in 1985. During the production of Return of the Jedi in 1982, Lucas approached Warwick Davis, who was portraying Wicket the Ewok, about playing Willow Ufgood. Five years passed before he was actually cast in the role. During the production of Return of the Jedi in 1982, Lucas approached Warwick Davis, who was portraying Wicket the Ewok, about playing Willow Ufgood. Five years passed before he was actually cast in the role. Lucas “thought it would be great to use a little person in a lead role. A lot of my movies are about a little guy against the system, and this was just a more literal interpretation of that idea.

The majority of filming took place in Dinorwic quarry in Wales with some at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, as well as a small section in New Zealand. Industrial Light & Magic created the visual effects sequences, which led to a revolutionary breakthrough with digital morphing technology.

The film score was written by James Horner and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

The film was released in 1988 to mixed reviews from critics with praise for the visual effects and character designs but criticisms for its direction and plot. It grossed $137.6 million worldwide against a $35 million budget.  Lucas had hoped it would earn as much money as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, but the film faced early competition with Crocodile Dundee II, Big and Rambo III. While not the blockbuster some expected, it still turned a profit from International box office returns and strong home video and television returns.