Ghostbusters 2 Had A Heavy Presence On Disney+’s Willow Set – Looper

When making the new Disney+ “Willow,” showrunner Jon Kasdan says he and others involved in the production, including producer Max Taylor, absolutely drew upon elements of 1980s fantasy films to inform its look and feel. He explained to /Film,  “And I don’t think one of those days went by where we didn’t reference ‘Ghostbusters 2’ as a stalwart. Like, the plot of ‘Ghostbusters 2 being a point of reference for us in nearly every element of making this show. It’s just because those are the movies we grew up on, and those are the devices and the versions of executing those tropes that we loved, and [we] wanted to service that.” 

So, rather than draw upon the cult audience “Willow” has amassed since its release, Kasdan chose to reference the pop culture of the era in a larger, more universal way that will evoke nostalgia in those who lived through the age, but also give current viewers a fun ride that stays faithful to the not-very-expansive canon surrounding “Willow” (which, he said, mostly consists of a novelization and a role-playing sourcebook). “So we wanted to capture a little of that feeling of just anticipatory popcorn excitement,” he continued. He said this sense of excitement has been lost since most fans get so much material before a film even comes out and on opening weekend.