Spierig Brothers to Direct ‘Dark Crystal’ Sequel

Published by Jeff Leins on May 5, 2010

This week the Henson Company announced directing duo Peter and Michael Spierig will helm the 3D film The Power of the Dark Crystal, a long delayed follow-up to 1982’s classic fantasy tale The Dark Crystal co-directed by Jim Henson.

According to the press release, the sequel will utilize a similar mix of live-action, puppetry, and special effects to recreate the realm hundreds of years after the first story “at a time when darkness has once more fallen across the world.”  Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet) wrote the script about a girl made of fire on a journey with a Gelfing outcast to use a crystal fragment to reignite the sun.

Australian post-production company Iloura (Where the Wild Things Are, “The Pacific”) are already working on the CGI elements and fantasy artist Brian Froud, who worked on the original and 1986’s Labyrinth, is developing the conceptual design.

Genndy Tartakovsky was originally attached to direct.

The Spierig brothers recently wrote and directed Daybreakers, a fresh take on the over-saturated vampire genre.  I thought it was decent, but I noted in my review, “the Spierigs show promise as filmmakers” and I stand by that.  I’m really looking forward to their vision and my only hope is that they actually shoot in stereoscopic 3D.