Last summer, Disney removed over a hundred original films and shows from Disney+ around the world as part of a cost-cutting exercise to wipe out over two billion dollars worth of content as failed assets from its accounts.

One of those originals removed was “Willow”, which was an all-new sequel series to George Lucas’s 1988 fantasy adventure film of the same name. The Nelwyn sorcerer returns, years after rescuing the infant empress Elora Danan, to lead group of misfit heroes on a harrowing rescue mission through a world beyond imagination.

“Willow” features Warwick Davis returned in his titular role, and today, he took to social media to share his frustration with Disney’s treatment of the show and its removal:

This image just came up as a photo memory. A BTS shot from the #Willow Series. 😃 It’s a travesty that ⁦⁦
@DisneyPlus value shareholders over subscribers in their creative decision-making. #Justsaying I only ever saw each episode once!😡

As you might expect, this social media post has already gotten plenty of attention from “Willow” fans who want to be able to rewatch the series, or even watch it for the first time.  Many other comments were brutally honest about their thoughts on why it was removed in the first place.

“Willow” wasn’t the only show to be removed, as over the past year, many more have been added to the list, and it’s not just Disney that’s done this, as many other studios, including Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount, have done the same.

With Disney looking to make its streaming division more profitable, removing shows and films from streaming services has become a major problem, often with cancelled shows being targeted, especially those that cost a lot of money to make, such as “Willow”.

Some of the original movies that got removed from Disney+, such as “Crater” or “Cheaper By The Dozen”, have been made available to purchase on digital platforms or available to stream on some free streaming platforms for a limited time. However, Disney hasn’t yet brought back any of its failed shows.

Roger’s Take: Unfortunately, the bottom line is that Disney didn’t deem “Willow” successful enough to warrant keeping it available on Disney+.  The show failed to connect with audiences for a number of reasons: the story wasn’t good enough, audiences didn’t like the modern twists, or Disney didn’t promote it enough.  I certainly understand Warwick’s frustration about “Willow” no longer being available, and I’d love for Disney to work out a way of bringing these cancelled originals back one day, but from a business point of view, it doesn’t make any sense.

What do you think about Disney removing shows from its platform? Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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