Netflix Announces Prequel Series to Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal

When the The Dark Crystal hit theaters in 1982, Jim Henson fans used to the cheery worlds of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show weren’t sure what to make of the eerie fantasy. The film has since reached cult status, and now it’s caught the attention of one of the biggest names in streaming. On Thursday, May 18 Netflix announced that a 10-episode prequel series to The Dark Crystal is in development.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance takes place in Thra many years before the story with which fans are familiar. A summary from the release reads: “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.”

Like the movie, the series will feature puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and The Dark Crystal’s original conceptual designer Brian Found. Louis Leterrier, director of Now You See Me (2013) and The Incredible Hulk (2008), will head up the project as director and executive producer.

The new show is the latest collaboration between Netflix and The Jim Henson Company. In March, the platform released Julie’s Greenroom, a children’s program starring Julie Andrews and a cast of puppets from the Creature Shop.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is set to begin filming in the UK later this year.