This making-of for Netflix's Dark Crystal is cool, but we're mostly here to hear Mark Hamill cut loose
Aux Features Coming Distractions
The first trailer for Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance stunned us with its practical puppet work, giving us even more reason to be excited for The Dark Crystal prequel series beyond its astounding cast, which features everyone who wasn’t slotted in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, apparently. Lena Headey, Awkwafina, and Sigourney Weaver were recently announced, for example, joining a roster of of voices that already included Taron Egerton, Helena Bonham Carter, Simon Pegg, Andy Samberg, Eddie Izzard, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mark Strong, and Alicia Vikander, and Harvey Fierstein.
Today’s appearance at Comic-Con gave us even more behind-the-scenes looks, including getting to watch director Louis Leterrier run around while giddily playing with puppets. But while the footage in question is certainly impressive, it was even more fascinating to watch Mark Hamill on the show’s actual panel, waxing nostalgic about hanging out with Jim Henson on the set of The Muppet Show, and busting out his voice for the show’s villainous Scientist character. (We mean, we’re assuming he’s a villain; why else get Mark Hamill to voice him?)
Read a plot synopsis for the series below:
The world of Thra is dying. The Crystal of Truth is at the heart of Thra, a source of untold power. But it is damaged, corrupted by the evil Skeksis, and a sickness spreads across the land. When three Gelfling uncover the horrific truth behind the power of the Skeksis, an adventure unfolds as the fires of rebellion are lit and an epic battle for the planet begins.
Age Of Resistance’s 10 episodes hit Netflix on August 30.
7 Comments
Everything about this – the cast, the creative team, the design, the reliance on old-school puppetry, etc. – just has me so excited….EXCEPT the fact that it’s a prequel. I so wish they’d found some way to move the story ahead from the original so that we’d have some narrative tension rather than already knowing where everything is going to end up.
CATS should have used puppets too…
“mMMMMmm!”
The Scientist tries to murder Fizzgig, so yes, very bad guy. (Okay, and he drains the life essence out of a ton of Gelflings and Podlings, too. That’s also bad. But Fizzgig!)
Rewatching the Dark Crystal last year I was reminded how messed up the “essence draining” scene was. The Podling’s heaving chest! No wonder I had nightmares as a kid!
Any news on whether Aughra’s son appears in this series? Because he’s essentially directly responsible for what happens to Thra and it would be interesting to see the social fallout once everyone figures it out.
I think I may have been the one person who wasn’t that wild about the original movie. Great sets and puppets, great special effects, however I found the story sort of lacking. Hopefully, this will be an improvement (at least for me).