In 2013, The Jim Henson Company announced that it was on the lookout for writers interested in crafting a prequel for its namesake’s 1982 cult classic film, The Dark Crystal. A little over a year later, the company declared it was working on follow-ups to both The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. On Monday, Netflix announced the star-studded voice cast for its upcoming Dark Crystal prequel series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. And when we say “star-studded,” we’re talking the likes of Game of Thrones and Star Wars.
According to a press release, Age of Resistance is “set many years before the events of the movie”:
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.
Taron Egerton, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nathalie Emmanuel will play Rian, Brea, and Deet, the three Gelflings whose journey will be at the center of Age of Resistance‘s story. Other Gelfling characters old and new will be voiced by Helena Bonham-Carter, Natalie Dormer, Eddie Izzard, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, and Alicia Vikander. As for the villainous Skeksis and wise Mystics, they will be voiced by none other than Mark Hamill, Jason Isaacs, Keegan-Michael Key, and Simon Pegg.
The show will make use of the classic puppetry that Henson and company utilized in 1982 to make The Dark Crystal, as well as “cutting edge visual effects.” Some of the puppeteers themselves, including Alice Dinnean, Louise Gold, Neil Sterenberg, and Victor Yerrid, will also be voicing additional characters in the series. Age of Resistance is expected to launch globally sometime next year.
