Willow canceled by Disney+ after one season

It… went away: Willow, the Disney+ sequel to the ’80s movie, has been canceled after one season.

We’re only three months into 2023, and it’s quickly becoming the year of shows being axed left, right, and center. On Netflix, we’ve already lost 1899, Dead End: Paranormal Park, Warrior Nun, and Inside Job.

Amazon Prime killed off Three Pines, while HBO has given several shows the chop, including Avenue 5, Doom Patrol, Gossip Girl, and South Side.

Coming after the cancelation of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, another short-lived attempt to revive an old franchise, Disney+ has axed Willow in the wake of its first season.

Willow won’t return for Season 2 on Disney+

As reported by Deadline, Willow will not return for a second season on Disney+.

While reviews were positive, with the show currently sitting at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, viewership was low from the get-go; the first two episodes were estimated to have reached just 481,000 households in its first five days.

That may seem like a lot, but it’s paltry numbers compared to the big hitters. For example, The Last of Us landed 4.7 million viewers on its first episode alone.

Sadly, it does appear to be a decision made by the numbers, rather than the show’s team. Speaking to Comic Book, showrunner Jonathan Kasdan said he “hoped” to move onto Season 2. “We still feel like there are a lot of stories and bigger places to visit,” he added.

“We’re certainly working at it, and I’m begging [Lucasfilm chief] Kathy [Kennedy] because working with these actors and this crew of filmmakers on this show has been the best experience.”

Willow Season 1 and the original movie are available to stream on Disney+ now. You can sign up here. You can also check out our other coverage of the show here.

Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.