Warwick Davis and the team behind the new Willow series have assured fans that Val Kilmer and his character Madmartigan will have some part to play in the forthcoming Disney+ show.

Conceived by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard, Willow was a fantasy epic that hit screens in 1988. Davis played the title character, a young farmer charged with the task of protecting a baby from an evil sorceress.

Now – some 34 years later – Willow is back, taking center stage in a Disney+ series that launches at the end of November.

But with Val Kilmer’s character absent from the first trailer, fans wondered if Madmartigan would play any part in the series.

Is Val Kilmer in the Willow series?

Having recently battled throat cancer, Val Kilmer has limited his acting work, but he did make a moving appearance in Tom Gun: Maverick, which is currently burning up the global box office.

During Star Wars Celebration over the weekend, executive producer Jake Kasdan revealed that Kilmer’s character will play some part in the series.

Speaking to Yahoo, Kasdan said: “Val’s a huge part of this, and the first conversation I had, when Warwick and I got the green light to do this, was with Val. We wanted his character to be a part of the story. We wanted him to be in the show.

“Because we were shooting during [global restrictions], he wasn’t able to come to Wales and shoot with us. But he is in the show in a big way. And we’re pretty excited about it… Madmartigan lives on.”

Warick Davis says “Madmartigan lives on!”

While the makers of the show won’t reveal exactly how Kilmer’s character fits into the series, Davis reiterated Kasdan’s statement by also proclaiming: “Madmartigan lives on.”

While speaking to Yahoo, Davis added: “Val’s spirit is very much with the series. [He and I] have been in touch since we made the movie, and we’re good friends and he’s a terrific guy.”

Willow hits Disney+ on November 30, with Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman, Ellie Bamber, and Tony Revolori appearing alongside original stars Davis and Joanne Whalley.

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