Netflix Annouces Dark Crystal Series

35 years ago, world-renowned filmmaker and puppeteer Jim Henson released “The Dark Crystal”, now considered a cult classic by fans and critics alike. Though Jim Henson passed away in 1990, his legacy and creations still live on to this day in his characters on Sesame Street and The Muppets. Now, Netflix and The Jim Henson Company have announced that they will be producing a television series prequel to the Dark Crystal film!

The Dark Crystal, released in 1982, tells the story of Jen the Gelfling, an elf-like creature that lives on the planet Thra. A thousand years prior to the film’s setting, a magical dark crystal cracked and spawned two new races, the Skeksis and Mystics. The Gelfling were nearly annihilated, however Jen was taken in by the Mystics. The Mystics are benevolent and powerful beings, counterparts to the Evil Skeksis, who use the Dark Crystal to continuously prevent death. There are ten Skeksis and ten Mystics, each paired with another of the opposite race, and if a member of one race dies or is injured, so is its counterpart.

Before his death, urSu the Master Mystic tasks Jen with healing the Crystal before the alignment of Thra’s three suns, to prevent the Skeksis from ruling the planet forever. urSu dies of old age and thus his counterpart the Skesis Emperor does as well, allowing the General to claim the throne for himself. They attempt to capture Jen and later Kira, another Gelfling who survived and was raised by Podlings, in order to prevent them from returning order to their world.

The film was not a success at the time of its release, however it is now praised by many. The Netflix series is set to be directed and executive produced by Louis Leterrier, a French director known best for his directorial work on the films The Incredible Hulk (2002), Clash of the Titans (2010), and Now You See Me (2013); it will be written by Jeffrey Addis, Will Matthews, and Javier Grillo-Marxuach.

The series will consist of 10 parts, covering the journey of three Gelfling determined to save Thra from the Skeksis before its too late. Filming is scheduled for this coming fall, with no release date announced as of yet. Fans of Mr. Henson’s work, young and old, should all look forward to this beautiful masterpiece coming back to life after Mr. Henson has passed on.