ⓘ Details

Movie TitleWillow

Release DateMay 20, 1988

TaglineA world where heroes come in all sizes and adventure is the greatest magic of all.

Runtime126 minutes / 2 hours 6 minutes

DirectorRon Howard

Screenplay Written ByBob Dolman

Based OnOriginal story by George Lucas

Is It a Remake?No. Willow is an original fantasy adventure film from a George Lucas story.

BudgetApproximately $35 million

Box OfficeApprox. $57.3 million domestic; some sources report approx. $137.6 million worldwide across international markets

↑ Return to Top

👥 Main Cast

Warwick DavisWillow Ufgood

Val KilmerMadmartigan

Joanne WhalleySorsha

Jean MarshQueen Bavmorda

Patricia HayesFin Raziel

Billy BartyHigh Aldwin

Pat RoachGeneral Kael

Gavan O’HerlihyAirk Thaughbaer

Kevin PollakRool

Rick OvertonFranjean

Maria HolvöeCherlindrea

Julie PetersKiaya Ufgood

Mark NorthoverBurglekutt

Phil FondacaroVohnkar

Tony CoxNelwyn Warrior

Kenny BakerNelwyn Band Member

Ruth GreenfieldElora Danan’s Nursemaid

David J. SteinbergMeegosh

↑ Return to Top

🏆 Awards

⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing: Ben Burtt and Richard Hymns

⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Effects, Visual Effects: Dennis Muren, Michael J. McAlister, Phil Tippett and Christopher Evans

⭐ Saturn Award Winner — Best Costume Design

⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Fantasy Film

⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Performance by a Younger Actor: Warwick Davis

⭐ Saturn Award Nominee — Best Supporting Actress: Jean Marsh

⭐ Hugo Award Nominee — Best Dramatic Presentation

⭐ No Academy Award wins were verified for the film.

⭐ No Golden Globe or BAFTA nominations were verified for the film.

↑ Return to Top

📖 Short Plot Summary

Willow Ufgood is a kindhearted Nelwyn farmer and aspiring sorcerer whose quiet village life changes when a baby girl, Elora Danan, washes into his world. The child is prophesied to bring down the evil Queen Bavmorda, who sends her forces to destroy her. Willow is chosen to carry Elora to safety and, along the way, joins forces with swaggering swordsman Madmartigan, warrior Sorsha, brownies Rool and Franjean, and the sorceress Fin Raziel. Together, they must protect Elora, challenge Bavmorda, and prove that courage is not measured by size, rank, or how good you are at turning people into pigs.

↑ Return to Top

❝ Key Quotes

“Out of the way, peck!” — Madmartigan

“I dwell in darkness without you, and it went away.” — Madmartigan

“Forget all you know, or think you know.” — High Aldwin

“Courage, Willow.” — Fin Raziel

“You are great.” — Madmartigan

“Magic is the bloodstream of the universe.” — High Aldwin

↑ Return to Top

💡 Trivia

Director

Willow was directed by Ron Howard.
The screenplay was written by Bob Dolman from a story by George Lucas.
George Lucas served as executive producer, while Nigel Wooll produced the film.
The movie was Lucas’ attempt to create an original fantasy adventure mythology outside of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
Howard’s direction mixes fairy-tale danger, slapstick humor, epic fantasy battles, and family-adventure warmth.

Cast / Casting

Warwick Davis stars as Willow Ufgood, the Nelwyn farmer chosen to protect Elora Danan.
Val Kilmer plays Madmartigan, a boastful swordsman whose ego is almost as big as his hair.
Joanne Whalley plays Sorsha, Bavmorda’s warrior daughter, who becomes central to the film’s romance and rebellion.
Jean Marsh plays Queen Bavmorda, the evil sorceress determined to destroy the prophesied child.
Billy Barty plays the High Aldwin, Willow’s magical mentor figure.
Kevin Pollak and Rick Overton provide comic relief as brownies Rool and Franjean.

Soundtrack / Score

The score was composed and conducted by James Horner.
The score was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Horner’s music gives the film a sweeping fantasy-adventure sound, with heroic themes, dark Bavmorda material, and romantic cues.
The score has drawn attention for its classical and folk-inspired influences.
For many fans, Horner’s music is one of the biggest reasons the movie still feels grand, magical, and emotionally larger than life.

Location

The film was shot in multiple international locations, including New Zealand, Wales, England, and California.
IMDb lists Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand, among the filming locations.
AFI lists locations including Snowdonia National Park, Gwynedd, Wales; Pinewood Studios in England; and the Mojave Desert in California.
The variety of locations helps give the film a classic fantasy-map feeling, moving from villages to forests, mountains, castles, and battlefields.
The landscape work is a major part of the movie’s old-school fantasy charm, long before modern fantasy relied so heavily on digital environments.

Behind-The-Scenes

The film was produced by Lucasfilm, Imagine Entertainment, and MGM.
Adrian Biddle served as cinematographer, and Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill, and Richard Hiscott edited the film.
Industrial Light & Magic handled the visual effects work.
The film received two Academy Award nominations for its technical work: Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects.
Box Office Mojo lists the domestic opening at $8,300,169 and domestic gross at $57,269,863.
The film later inspired a 2022 Disney+ sequel series, though the original movie remains the main nostalgic touchstone for fans.

Nostalgia

Willow has become a cult fantasy favorite for many viewers who grew up with it on VHS, cable, and repeat family movie nights.
Madmartigan became one of Val Kilmer’s most beloved genre roles, blending rogue charm, comedy, swordplay, and full fantasy himbo energy.
The movie’s combination of prophecy, babies in baskets, evil queens, trolls, brownies, warriors, and wizard training gives it peak late-’80s fantasy flavor.
Even viewers who find the story familiar often remember the film for its heart, effects, score, and practical adventure feel.
For fantasy fans, it remains the movie that asks: what if the chosen-one story was really about the nervous little farmer who had to carry the chosen one?

Easter Eggs

George Lucas’ story structure echoes the mythic hero’s journey that runs through much of his work.
Elora Danan functions as a twist on the chosen-one trope because she is the prophecy child, but Willow is the emotional hero who must protect her.
Madmartigan’s rogue-warrior energy has clear echoes of classic swashbucklers and fantasy antiheroes.
The brownies Rool and Franjean bring a comic sidekick dynamic similar to the small chaotic helpers common in old fantasy tales.
The film’s mixture of magic, swordplay, monsters, prophecy, and miniature heroes helped define the fantasy-adventure tone later revisited by nostalgic fans.

Misc.

Willow is rated PG.
AFI classifies the film as adventure and fantasy.
Box Office Mojo classifies the film as action, adventure, drama, fantasy, and romance.
Metacritic lists a 47 Metascore based on 12 critic reviews, indicating mixed or average reviews.
Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the episode as Episode 163, with Don rating it 2.75, Ken rating it 3.25, Jon rating it 2.75, and an overall rating of 2.92.

↑ Return to Top