Netflix mines Henson’s Dark Crystal

Netflix has ordered a 10-part prequel to The Jim Henson Company’s 1982 movie The Dark Crystal.

The original 1982 movie The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will start production in the UK in the fall featuring Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk), who will exec produce and direct.

The fantasy-adventure show will feature creatures made by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and Brian Froud, the conceptual designer from the movie.

The Jim Henson Company is producing, with Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews and Javier Grillo-Marxuach attached as writers and exec producers.

Cindy Holland, VP for Netflix originals, said the show would “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.”

Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company, added: “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.”

Netflix is also developing and producing an English-language drama based on The Witcher, the fantasy saga from Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski.

Known collectively as the Witcher Saga, Sapkowski’s eight novels center on ‘witchers’ who develop supernatural abilities at a young age to battle deadly monsters.

“I’m thrilled that Netflix will be doing an adaptation of my stories, staying true to the source material and the themes that I have spent over thirty years writing,” said Sapkowski.

Sapkowski will serve as a creative consultant on the series while Sean Daniel (The Mummy franchise) and Jason Brown (The Expanse) executive produce along with Tomek Baginski (The Cathedral) and Jarek Sawko (The Fallen Art).