The Dark Crystal is a landmark film. Visionary Jim Henson crafted a fantastical world populated solely by puppeteered creations. It’s an astounding achievement in special effects and can never be replicated. Henson’s unique passion and style are solely his own.
That’s why this trailer for a new Netflix TV series based on The Dark Crystal has us a tad worried. Check out the announcement trailer for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and see what you think.
I’ve Got A Bad Feeling About This…
We only get a quick glimpse at one of the Skeksis puppets, and it’s not bad but… look, this could be good. That’s what any Dark Crystal fan wants to hope. And it could certainly turn out that way. But, there are a lot of factors working against it. The big one I mentioned above: The Dark Crystal was all Jim Henson. It was his passion project. The fact that it wasn’t successful when it was released devastated him. He was hoping it could usher in a new era of filmmaking anchored by puppeteered characters. Seeing his vision be co-opted for the sake of nostalgia is a little disheartening.
Another troublesome factor is the show’s director: Louis Letterer. Letterer has been behind less-than-excellent films like The Incredible Hulk and Clash of the Titans. He’s hardly the kind of auteur that this make-believe world deserves. Plus, he’s not the first choice for the project. A number of people have been attached to the project over the years. That’s rarely a good sign.
And to top it all off, this show will be a prequel. Prequels hardly ever live up to the original story. It’s certainly not impossible but the odds are stacked against it. And if the story isn’t handled properly, fans will not be happy with what it does to the established lore. Remember midi-chlorians?
Honestly, it would be great to be wrong about this. A new Dark Crystal story? Awesome. Wish it the best. But, temper your expectations. We’ll find out if the Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a worthy successor when it hits Netflix.
