Scott Derrickson Is Directing A Sequel To LABYRINTH

Here's an interesting story: according to Deadline, Scott Derrickson has signed on to direct a sequel to Jim Henson's LABYRINTH, from a script to be written by INTO THE DARK's Maggie Levin. The film's being produced and executive produced by Lisa Henson and Brian Henson of The Henson Company, respectively, along with frequent Derrickson collaborator C. Robert Cargill.

So. A sequel to LABYRINTH. Much to consider. Much to unpack.

On the one hand, I suspect that many LABYRINTH fans will have reservations about anyone revisiting the world Henson created back in 1986, particularly without the involvement of the first film's Goblin King, David Bowie. That's just the nature of the fandom beast! On the other hand, I suspect that anyone involved with a LABYRINTH sequel, particularly one which is being produced with help from The Jim Henson Company (which recently knocked it out of the park with Netflix's DARK CRYSTAL series), must understand implicitly how important casting will be to this project. My guess is that Jareth the Goblin King will be supplanted by a new ruler. I'm also gonna go out on a limb and predict that whoever they hire to play that new ruler will be someone who captures Bowie's sinister ethereality. Call it a hunch.

This being early days, there's little else to report on Derrickson's LABYRINTH sequel at this time. No casting, no time frame on when production might start, certainly no idea when we might actually get to see it. But for now we are cautiously optimistic about this one, and are hoping all involve deliver something that matches the surreal, wacky, pleasingly dark heights of the original. 

Stay tuned for further updates as they roll in.