Brian Henson Previews Upcoming Films
Son of Jim Henson Talks Dark Crystal Sequel and Fraggle Rock Movie
Aug 10, 2009
Brian Henson recently sat down with MTV to discuss upcoming projects, including The Power of the Dark Crystal and a Fraggle Rock movie. Henson revealed some new information about the upcoming films and projected his enthusiasm for each.
Power of the Dark Crystal
Henson discussed plans for The Power of the Dark Crystal, including its stage in pre-production. The classic movie precursor from Frank Oz and Jim Henson delighted and frightened audiences with fantasy designer Brian Froud's remarkable world of Gelflings, Skeksis, and Podlings. About the sequel, Henson confirmed, "We have a 'Dark Crystal' sequel, called 'The Power of the Dark Crystal.' It has a very strong script."
The original tale followed Jen on his mission to heal the shattered Dark Crystal and the obstacles he faces along the way. He meets a fellow Gelfling named Kira, and together they overcome the dark and evil Skeksis who rule their world. Some shunned away from the dark tone of the film upon its initial release, but the stunning visuals and conceptual design brought by Froud did not go unnoticed. The new film will face high expectations from the cult-following which has developed over more than twenty years.
Fraggle Rock Film in Pre-production
The MTV interview captured Henson's thoughts on another upcoming film, one which is sure to engage those nostalgic for classic television shows of the 80s: Fraggle Rock. Henson revealed, "It'll have a strong musical component. 'Fraggle Rock' was presented... for a pretty exclusively children's audience. The feature film does expand it to be more accessible to a wider audience."
The Fraggle Rock television series featured a vast array of new muppet characters, which in addition to Fraggles included the miniature tower-building Doozers and gigantic Fraggle-hungry Gorgs. Fraggles danced and sung throughout the series, offering a musical style to the much-loved children's show.
Jim Henson's Muppet Legacy
Henson remarked that both projects are "very close to going into pre-production," characterizing them as "really ready to go." According to a Henson.com podcast, The Power of the Dark Crystal will utilize the stunning visual puppetry audiences come to expect from the Jim Henson Company with some mixture of CGI. As the studio is "putting together the final finance pieces and the final distribution pieces" the film could reach theaters in the next few years.
While the target audiences of these two projects may somewhat differ, there is no doubt that the strong following of Jim Henson's legacy will greatly look forward to seeing these films hit the big screen.
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