When it comes to defining Jim Henson’s mark on cinematic history beyond The Muppets, two movies stand the test of time: The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Netflix will soon be bringing the story of the Gelflings back to the forefront of pop culture with a new prequel series entitled, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. A first look teaser was unleashed unto the world today showcasing archival footage of Jim Henson and the making of The Dark Crystal and one quick glimpse of practical Skerksis puppet build.

The Muppet Movie hit the scene in 1979, followed by The Great Muppet Caper in 1981. With their success brought the dawn of two films that couldn’t be further on the spectrum from the lovable Muppets. In my experience, a line is drawn between fandoms and you are either team Dark Crystal or team Labyrinth. But according to this teaser, Henson was team Dark Crystal. And as we approach the 35th anniversary of the beloved classic, fans will be eagerly awaiting the chance to return to the world of Thra.

Directed by Henson and Frank Oz, The Dark Crystal was the first live-action movie to be shot without a single human on screen. Cutting edge animatronics and puppets allowed the filmmakers to create a world beyond imagination, successfully bringing their creation to life. The original film followed the story of Jen, an elf-like creature known as a Gelfling, who sets out to return a lost shard from a powerful crystal in order to restore balance to the world.

Co-executive producers Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (Life in a Year) along with Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, The 100) will be leading the writing staff. Filmmaker Louis Leterrier (The Transporter 2, Now You See Me) will serve as executive producer and director the series. CEO and daughter of Jim Henson, Lisa Henson, will also be acting as an executive producer. So this seems like a pretty stacked production. And just like the movie, filming will take place in the U.K.

Age of Resistance will be a 10-episode prequel series that will take place many years before the events of the original film. From what we see in the teaser, the project aims to keep to the spirit of the practical effects of the world built be the Jim Henson Company. The original feature’s conceptual designer, Brian Froud, has been involved with the new series, which is a win-win for everyone. Here’s a quick synopsis of the show below:

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. 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.

Directed by Louis Leterrier, The Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will be available on Netflix in 2018.

Source: Netflix