Just when you thought you’d finally got over the crippling nightmares…
The puppet world of The Dark Crystal is officially returning courtesy of Netflix, and not only will there be Gelfling and Skeksis galore, but it’s going to be a whole series rather than a one-off film.
Called The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, the 10-parter is a prequel and will start shooting this year. The action once again takes place on the planet of Thra, and tells the story of three Gelfling who discover the secret to the soul-sucking Skeksis’ power and set out on a journey to try and save their world.
Though anyone scarred by the original may suspect that it can’t end all that well for the trio, given they still have a hold on Thra in the film.
The streaming service has released a teaser video for the series explaining how the film was extremely close to creator Jim Henson’s heart.
“It’s probably the hardest thing that I’ve ever worked on,” the voice of the late Henson begins. “I like to think of it as sort of a work of art, it’s something that hundreds of people created, the wonderful texture and depth to this world […] of all projects, it’s the one that I’m most proud of.”
The 1982 film (released in 1983 in the UK) was not initially a huge hit but found cult status in the following years.
The puppets will once again be created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and Brian Froud, the conceptual and costume designer who worked on the original, will also be involved.
Henson’s daughter Lisa Henson will executive produce, and Variety quotes her as saying: “Netflix has a deep respect for my father’s original work and the many people it inspired.
“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 told the story of Gelfling Jen, who, with the help of Kira, must heal a cracked crystal in order to restore balance to the world – its shattering having split the race of urSkeks in two, resulting in Mystics and the disturbingly dark Skeksis.
Images: Rex Features
undefined
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.