Dark Crystal sequel may be headed to DVD

[siggyweaves]

I agree with everyone who commented on the state of the Jim Henson Company. Jim Henson is dead. With him, much of the magic died. I have not been impressed with any Henson Company material that's been produced "post-Jim," if you will. It's disillusioning to realize that the company is now just a by-the-numbers, monetary business, and no longer in the business of instilling childhood wonder and laughter in its viewers.

Let's face it, good story or not, Mirrormask's production values were horrendous. I barely made it through to the end, the CGI was so cheesily done. And why do shows containing puppets have to utilize CGI in the first place? Jim Henson captured our hearts just fine without all of that.

I don't think any of us can profess to know what the true quality of the Dark Crystal sequel is or will be until it's released and we actually have a chance to see it firsthand. Genndy has proven his directing chops on a slew of animated features. For my part I am simply fearing another puppet/CGI hybrid like Mirrormask, where the end product fails to impress. Let's hope that's not the case. But, as others have said, if the sequel is terrible, we can always forget it and just watch the original again.

 

[LeanneRivett]

DO...NOT...UNDERESTIMATE....NOSTALGIA! It's as effective a marketing device as any trailer featuring CG Chipmunks eating their own poop! ( what the hey? )

I agree

 

[MattFraggle]

I think The Jim Henson Company has TREMENDOUS potential! but the powers that be need to step aside and trust the CREATIVE talent for a change. There's so much fantasy out there, it's SICK!

For example, Adam Phillips ( the GENIUS behind Bitey of Brackenwood ) is currently looking to develop a feature based upon his amazing animated webisodes. Could you imagine if Henson were to get ahold of That? WOW!

http://www.biteycastle.com/main.html

I still have hope for Henson, but its decisions like this straight to dvd travesty that make me wonder how long before it closes for good. Hollywood isn't a place for people who second-guess themselves, you need to have CONFIDENCE in the material you either own, or want to develop. You can't waffle over something like this.

 

[dabauckham]

So, here's another thread about this, but I'm not sure what to make of it:

http://forum.muppetcentral.com/showthread.php?t=36158

it appears that the person who started the thread assumed that the movie would still be a theatrical release, but it seems that what the quote actually meant was that they want the movie to have the "quality" of a theatrical release, which is why they are taking their time releasing it to DVD.

I don't know....I don't have my hopes up.

Thoughts?

 

[Aleal]

Just for the record, right now this news is really non news. What was Phil's source for his article? Latino Review, as linked. Their source? This piece: http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/006675886.cfm?page=2

The actual article hypes a number of upcoming comic book/fantasy themed projects, most of which will be going straight to video. But absolutely no statement is made about "Power of the Dark Crystal" to indicate anything (it's right above a piece on "AstroBoy," which as of now is definitely slated for a theatrical release). And that article doesn't include any sources for the Winter 2008 date either.

So, it's not impossible that the project could go straight to DVD, but right now, everyone's getting het up over a single writer's assumption, based on absolutely no evidence at all, which has been circulated around the internet. Henson has certainly been slow to issue updates, but as with earlier unfounded rumors about the project's cancellation, wait and see before wailing and gnashing teeth.

 

[Robin]

Well this is definitely squandering a great franchise! How magic and Epic a new Dark Crystal could have been!(lord of the Rings like in scale perhaps) A world that as special man to all of us Jim Henson Created! He is by far one of the most dear creators of our time or ever!

His legacy has been so mismanaged and even ruined in my opinion. More than half the fans could manage his company better! This could have been so special... At least we know what we're getting... Straight to DVD means ah pass on it it sucks anyways! Or it was just OK... WELL IT WAS JUST OK is NOT what Jim Henson would ever settle for! This is complete rubbish!

I am SO ASHAMED at the the people running the Henson ship! Talk about NO passion! Talk about no respect! We love the magic worlds Jim has created and his lessons of love and fun and life! Do those running Henson even know how loved his creations were! YOU WOULDN'T THINK SO! I"M DISGUSTED!

 

[dabauckham]

Yes, Aleal, I just followed that original source myself (http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazi...886.cfm?page=2), and the details do seem up for speculation. I think we may be jumping the gun a little bit, especially considering the Nicole Goldman quote I linked to above. Here's the bit I keep mulling over:

"A project of this scale takes a lot of time and energy and we continue to work through the development phase, maintaining our original vision of a film for theatrical release that combines traditional puppetry and animatronics with cutting edge CG animation. We’ll be sure to keep fans up to date as more information is confirmed.”

Perhaps things will work out after all...

 

[Jeffboy]

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Theatrical-Release-Still-Intended-For-Dark-Crystal-Sequel-7415.html

I wouldn't trust any credited news source until I see a press release, but it certainly looks like someone maybe jumped the gun.

Seeing as this project has been in development for over 2 years now, I think you guys might want to relax a little bit and wait for something more concrete. All we've been given are a couple storyboard images and a few PR photos. Patience!

 

[beaker]

You people are too funny

"This is the worst news ever!"

Did anyone *really* think this would go to theatres? Come on now.
I am beyond excited...people dont know, but almost ten years ago right here on Muppet Central(late 1998) we were all abuzz that JHC was about to start work on a new dark crystal movie. Ok, so it took a decade. But Im sorry, I find this amazingly exciting...so surreal...a sequel to dark crystal

"MirrorMask was horrible!"

Really now? Thats funny, because I thought it was astonishing and glorious...maybe Im one of the few fans of Dave Mckean's ornate style, but I remember travelling far to two seperate theatres to seeing it and buying the action figures. I also remember it being on my top ten list of 2005.
The movie HAD to be mostly cgi, and it captured the look and feel of Mckean's work perfectly.

I wonder if I even saw the same movie as some as you

"The Muppets Died With Jim"

hmmm, then I guess you dont mind that Disney has squandered the Muppets?

I face the reality that if Disney hadnt bought the Muppets, JHC wouldnt be free to make films like Fraggle Rock the movie, Dark Crystal 2, MirrorMask, or launch a bunch of stuff under the HA! brand.

I also face the reality that so far, weve seen practically zilch in 4 years of Disney ownership.

Be upset with JHC over selling the Muppets to Disney, not for making the decision to go direct to dvd with Dark Crystal 2.

 

[petrieboy]

I've had it. The quality of the Henson people's output since 1993's very good "Muppet Christmas Carol" has been on a par with Disney's second, third, or fourth hand team's output of pathetic sequels to Walt Disney masterpieces. I'm going to sum up the three major ("major" is really pushing it) film releases with the word : crap. "Muppets From Space" - Pretty Much Crap. "It's a Very Merry Muppet Piece of Crap" - crap. "The Muppets Wizard of Crap" - ULTRA crap. While there are real works of art being made in this day and age by real directors, with real scripts, and real artists, I'm losing real interest, real fast, in The Jim Henson Company.

If something were on a par, quality wise, with the original film, and released in 2008, do you think there is a chance that a studio would not pick it up for theatrical release? Good for Brian Froud being rejected from the project... he can save his dignity from what I'm assuming will be... crap.

One of the few straight to video releases I can think of, that should have gone straight to theaters is "Ripley's Game" which appears on Roger Ebert's "Great Films" list, and involves Tom Ripley, the character portrayed by Matt Damon is "Talented Mr. Ripley." The New Line studio claimed to be overwhelmed by The Lord of the Rings trilogy at the time, and just couldn't handle releasing or promoting "Ripley's Game."

So, let the Henson family veer off into what they believe is the exciting world of adult puppetry on cable. Let them continue their new tradition of badly directed films without any heart or soul, or good original music, released straight to TV, and straight to video.

The fact that I own "The Muppets Wizard of Oz" on dvd, and never finished watching it, is remarkable. Is there a chance I could have turned off "The Muppet Movie," "The Great Muppet Caper" or "Muppets Take Manhattan"? Not a chance.

Does "Henson" read these forums? Does anyone on here try to get through to them? Or have they only been sucked up to during fan meetings based on sheer delight in meeting them at all? I realize that this message is written in anger, but that is what I feel, and I believe that it is an accurate emotion for the circumstances.

The last scene of the lovely "Muppet Family Christmas," in which Jim Henson appears, washing dishes and comments on how nice it is to see his Muppets having such a good time, is an emotional moment. It is made more emotional when none of his family members seem to know why they were having such a good time. The dishes are rotting in the sink.