Disney+'s Willow TV Series Casts Ruby Cruz In Lead Role

Lucasfilm's Willow series for Disney+ continues to undergo changes from previously made [...]

By Spencer Perry

Lucasfilm's Willow series for Disney+ continues to undergo changes from previously made announcements as actress Ruby Cruz (Hulu's Castle Rock) has been tapped for one of the leading roles in the series, replacing Pacific Rim: Uprising's Cailee Spaeny who was announced back in November. Cruz joins a cast that includes Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals) and Erin Kellyman (Solo) opposite her with Warwick Davis returning to the title role, reprising his part from the original 1988 film. Jonathan Kasdan (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Wendy Mericle (Arrow) serve as executive producers and co-showrunners on the series. Deadline first reported the news that Cruz has joined the series.

The trio of female leads will appear as members of a group on a mission to save a captive prince. Bamber is Dove, a kitchenmaid who learns she is the "chosen one;" with Cruz as Kit, the captured prince's twin sister; and Kellyman as Jade, who is Kit's servant and best friend. Filming is scheduled to begin in the spring of this year in Wales. No premiere date or window has been revealed for the series just yet but it has been in development for a few years now as Kasdan took to Twitter over a year ago to reveal that a writer's room for the series had been opened.

The addition of Cruz to the series isn't the first replacement that's been made in the series as originaly director Jon M. Chu departed the project due to unforeseen scheduling issues stemming from various production delays caused by the pandemic. It was previously confirmed that in his place Jonathan Entwistle, best known for directing Netflix's The End of the F***ing World and I Am Not Okay With This, had signed on to direct the pilot and serve as an executive producer.

"With its epic world of swords, sorcery and adventure, Willow captivated and influenced so many," Entwistle previously said in a statement. "I'm excited to be going on this journey and working with Jon and Wendy to create something that is both deeply rooted in that original film and also a fresh, funny and charming addition to the beloved story. To be able to play within the world so painstakingly crafted by Ron back in '88 is a dream come true for me."

Are you excited about the Willow sequel series all these years later? Let us know in the comments below! If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

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