More than 30 years after the Jim Henson and David Bowie cult classic, Hollywood is ready to revisit the fantastical Labyrinth universe once more.
Truth be told, there have been rumblings of a sequel to the 1986 original for years, and Guardians of the Galaxy scribe Nicole Perlman has clarified in the past that the intention is to revisit, not reboot, the beloved property. Turns out that’s still the case, and Deadline is reporting today that Don’t Breathe helmer Fede Alvarez has closed a deal to direct. Jay Basu has been tasked with script duties, who last collaborated with the filmmaker on quasi-sequel/reboot The Girl in the Spider’s Web.
It’s the next chapter in Sony’s Lisbeth Salander saga, though there’s no room for either Daniel Craig or Rooney Mara. Deadline goes on to confirm that Fede Alvarez will direct the Dragon Tattoo continuation first before delving into the Labyrinth universe, and here, the filmmaker outlines his enthusiasm to take on such a cherished property.
Labyrinth is one of the seminal movies from my childhood that made me fall in love with filmmaking. I couldn’t be more thrilled to expand on Jim Henson’s mesmerizing universe, and take a new generation of moviegoers back into the Labyrinth.
First released in theaters back in ’86, Labyrinth featured a breakout performance from the young Jennifer Connolly, who was forced to navigate the titular maze to save her brother and, ultimately, pull him from the clutches of the goblin king. The late, great David Bowie famously brought that eccentric nemesis to life all those years ago and, out of respect for the Thin White Duke, we understand that his character won’t feature in this continuation whatsoever.
Labyrinth is back on the table at TriStar, though it’s still early, early days for the sequel. Next up for Fede Alvarez and Jay Basu is The Girl in the Spider’s Web, which is still casting the net in search of the new Lisbeth.
