‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ Canceled on Netflix
When Jim Henson created The Dark Crystal back in the ‘80s, no one realized it would become the beloved classic that it is today. Decades of fan love helped spur a reboot in the form of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, which aired its first season on Netflix in 2019.
Fans were taken back to Thra before the Skeksis obliterated everyone and the Gelfling reached the point of extinction. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled the series, leaving fans and the new story in the lurch.
Netflix and Lisa Henson confirm no season 2 for ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’
According to Deadline, executive producer Lisa Henson (Jim Henson’s daughter) issued a lengthy statement to announce the show’s end. She made a point to thank Netflix and Dark Crystal fans around the world.
“We know fans are eager to learn how this chapter of The Dark Crystal saga concludes and we’ll look for ways to tell that story in the future,” she wrote.
“We are so grateful to Netflix for trusting us to realize this ambitious series; we are deeply proud of our work on Age of Resistance, and the acclaim it has received from fans, critics and our peers, most recently receiving an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program.”
When the series launched, Henson expressed her joy about introducing the world of Thra and its inhabitants through the puppetry that her father and Brian Froud created together. They skipped the CGI and instead put in countless hours of puppet artistry to bring Thra to life.
Season 1 included a star-studded cast and ended on a cliffhanger
In the months leading up to the Age of Resistance premiere in August 2019, casting news had fans excited. Some of the voices behind the fantastical puppets include Lena Headey, Taron Egerton, Mark Hamill, Sigourney Weaver, Helena Bonham-Carter, Keegan Michael-Key, Jason Isaacs, and Andy Samberg.
As a prequel, the series traveled back 1,000 years before the events of the 1982 film. Throughout the 10 episodes, viewers learned about all the Gelfling clans and the Skeksis’ evil intention to poison the world and corrupt the crystal.
By the end of season 1, the seven clans united but one of its heroes — Deet — was affected by the Darkening.
Now it’s unclear if fans will ever find out what happens to Deet, Aughra, or anyone else on Thra.
Fans hope ‘The Dark Crystal’ finds a new home
From the sound of Henson’s statement, she would like to be able to keep Age of Resistance going. On Reddit, some fans are calling for a rescue effort from Amazon or Disney+. With so many different streaming services up and running, the possibility doesn’t seem so remote.
The Jim Henson Company already has a deal in place with Disney for rights to the Muppets, but it is unclear if either party would be willing to partner up for another installment of The Dark Crystal. Earth to Ned is one Henson Company-related production currently airing on the Disney+ streaming service.
As it stands, audiences can now stream The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance along with the original film on Netflix.
