George Lucas's Cult Classic Mixes Star Wars and Dark Fantasy

Thirty-eight years ago George Lucas created a cult classic that blended the sweep of Star Wars with darker fantasy elements, and Willow has since been suggested as Lucasfilm’s most underrated movie. After concluding the Original Trilogy, Lucas built a new universe with rich mythology and practical effects.

Ron Howard brought Lucas’s story to the screen, with Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn farmer who initially resists the call to adventure before embracing a heroic destiny—an arc that invites easy comparison to Luke Skywalker. Madmartigan functions as a Han Solo analogue, evolving from a reluctant companion into a loyal ally, while Queen Bavmorda echoes Emperor Palpatine through her belief in an ancient prophecy and her command of dark magic.

Industrial Light & Magic supplied cutting-edge effects; Bavmorda’s transformation stood out as a technical innovation that helped pave the way for the prequels.

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