The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Prequel Series Announced By Netflix & The Jim Henson Company
Netflix surprised us this morning with news of a prequel series based on The Jim Henson Company’s puppet classic. It’s called The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
According to the press release, “The 10-episode fantasy adventure series is a prequel to the groundbreaking 1982 fan favorite The Dark Crystal, and takes place many years before the events of the film.” Director Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me, The Incredible Hulk) will executive produce and direct, and from the sound of it, the show will stick to the heart and magic of the original.
The series will be shot in the U.K., and will star an ensemble of fantastical, state-of-the-art creatures created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and Brian Fround, the original feature’s conceptual designer. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.
Of course there will be a few updates. “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will combine the art of puppetry perfected by The Jim Henson Company, with Louis’ vision, powerful storytelling and a mix of cutting-edge digital imagery and visual effects,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix. “I can’t wait for families around the world to see how we bring these unique characters to life.”
“Netflix has a deep respect for my father’s original work and the many people it inspired,” said Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company. “They are the perfect partners to create this next epic chapter in The Dark Crystal story for new fans and the loyal fans who have waited so long for more adventures from this world.”
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will be a Netflix original series produced by The Jim Henson Company and executive produced by Letterier, Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford. Longtime Henson collaborator Rita Peruggi will serve as producer and Henson’s Blanca Lista will serve as a co-executive producer. Leading the writing are co-executive producers Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (Life in a Year), and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, The 100).
In other 80s nostalgia news, don’t forget we’ve got a Labyrinth continuation in the works also…
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