The new Willow TV series that is in development for Disney+ has lost its director. Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) has announced that he can no longer direct the show due to scheduling issues and the forthcoming birth of a child this summer.

　　"I'm heartbroken to let you all know that I unfortunately have to step away from directing Willow. With the production schedule moving due to continued lockdowns in the UK, and with a new baby coming this summer (surprise!), the timing is just not going to work for me and my family," Chu said.

　　He went on to say that he looks forward to being able to see the new Willow revival as a fan, going on to tease that fans should be excited about the "magical new world" that Disney has created.

　　"As you may know, Willow has been one of my favorite movies since I was a child, so I'm devastated that I won't be able to work with some of my heroes old and new ... like a kid seeing Willow for the first time in the '80s, I will look forward to watching this magical new world unfold as a very enthusiastic fan," he said. "And boy do they have an adventure in store for you! I can't wait for you all to experience it soon."

　　Personal Update on Willow for @disneyplus that I’ve been working on... pic.twitter.com/eS7uurCMfg

　　— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) January 11, 2021

　　Announced in October 2020, the new Willow series is a sequel to the 1998 adventure movie that Star Wars director George Lucas produced. It was the first movie that Lucas made after wrapping up the original trilogy. Willow was not a smashing success at the box office, but it became a cult favorite.

　　The Willow series is set many years after the film and will once again star Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood, the film's heroic main character. Ron Howard, who directed the 1988 movie movie, will executive produce.

　　The showrunners will be Jonathan Kasdan, who co-wrote Howard's Star Wars spin-off Solo, and Wendy Mericle, who was co-showrunner on The CW's Arrow. The show will start production later in 2021. Disney has not yet named a replacement for Chu.