The upcoming Netflix series ‘The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance’ plans to utilize updated variations on techniques Jim Henson used in the original film from 1982. Series director Louis Leterrier addressed an audience at New York Comic-Con and explained the series will still be “pure puppetry,” saying:
“I love CGI, but we’re not using CGI on this one.”
‘The Age of Resistance’ series takes place prior to the events of the Jim Henson and Frank Oz film. The series will follow the Gelfing society that existed before the crumbled remains of the Wall of Destiny seen in the original ‘Dark Crystal.’ Series creator Lisa Henson, Jim’s daughter, explained the inspiration for the series came from that image, saying:
“We took that as our jumping off point for the whole series, saying, ‘What was that culture? What was lost? What was that beautiful Gelfling civilization?’ And it’s very developed. We have a big canvas with many different groups of Gelflings living in all different kinds of geography.”
Henson also explained that the advance of time allows the series to use old school techniques in an updated way, saying:
“People have asked what the newest technology we’re bringing to this is, and I say, ‘Well it’s actually really old technology: green screen.’ We’re removing puppeteers where they are physically moving the puppets from the outside. But Jim didn’t have the ability to do that at the time of the movie. So even though that’s a really old visual effects technique, it’s an advance on the film. We were so pleased that is still pure puppetry because if you take the puppeteers out, they’re still moved by the puppeteers.”
Letterier hopes that the new series will usher in a new generation of fans while taking painstaking care to recreate the look of the original film:
“Kids these days haven’t seen puppets that look like this. It brings in everything you love about ‘Dark Crystal.’ Brian Froud, Wendy Froud, and Toby Froud — little Toby from ‘Labyrinth’ — all worked on our show, recreating the Skeksis and creating the new characters. So the design is exactly the same. The look is exactly the same. We shot on VistaVision. You’re going to like it.”
‘The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance’ will premiere on Netflix in 2019. Check out a teaser for the series below!
