Word of Scott Derrickson being tapped to direct a sequel to Jim Henson's LABYRINTH has woven its way through a vast maze filled with danger and has arrived online. Derrickson, who recently passed on helming Doctor Strange 2 for Marvel Entertainment, will shoot the upcoming fantasy project based on a script penned by Into the Dark and My Valentine vet Maggie Levin.
In Jim Henson's LABYRINTH, a 16-year-old girl (Jennifer Connelly) is given 13 hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue her baby brother when her wish for him to be taken away is granted by the Goblin King (David Bowie). As the crown jewel of '80s fantasy cinema, LABYRINTH continues to dazzle audiences to this very day, with its inspired puppetry, mesmerizing set design, and lively cast of unconventional characters.
Previously, DON'T BREATHE and EVIL DEAD helmer Fede Alvarez was attached to direct the Labyrinth sequel project, with Nicole Perlman on board to pen the screenplay. In fact, Alvarez spoke with Fandango back in 2018 about his plans for the movie, revealing that not only was scripting complete, but that he was also in touch with Lisa Henson about moving the project forward.
“I was actually having lunch yesterday with Lisa Henson and we reconnected with that project,” Alvarez revealed. “We're very excited about it. It is basically a direct continuation of the first movie many years later, and I can't tell you much more about it… but we have a script, and we're very excited about it so we'll see where that goes. Like always, it takes time and effort to put those movies together because they're larger than life. But that's one of the projects that I'm very excited about.”
Given today's news, it would appear as if the puppet-populated sequel has passed into new hands.
Producing the sequel will be Lisa Henson of The Jim Henson Company, with Brian Henson serving as an executive producer. Derrickson will also executive produce with his well-established film partner, C. Robert Cargill. Additionally, Blanca Lisa, vice president of feature film production, will oversee the project for The Jim Henson Company.
Alright, so maybe 2020 isn't all bad after all. I'm just kidding, it's a complete dumpster fire of a year, but at least we've got this long-awaited project to look forward to, right? Truth be told, I've been begging Hollywood to develop a sequel to LABYRINTH for decades. The original is one of my favorite films of all time, and even though David Bowie is no longer with us, I'd imagine that there's someone out there who can fill his hallowed codpiece. Shoes! I meant shoes! Actually, I totally didn't. Bowie's ornate outfits and gravity-defying hairstyle weren't the only things that were magical about LABYRINTH, let me tell you!
Are you as excited as I am to hear that a sequel to LABYRINTH is finally underway? Let us know in the comments section below. Also, assuming that the Goblin King will make his return for the sequel, who do you think should play the legendary character?