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Game of Thrones andHouse of the Dragon have helped popularize a dark fantasy aesthetic characterized by menace-looking warriors in glinting armor, twisted-looking castles, and the return of eerie old magic. To make up for the absence of these TV shows, it's not uncommon for fantasy fans to look into the past for unique fantasy movies, seemingly forgotten in time. After all, the fantasy films from the '80s and '90s directly inspired many elements of modern fantasy movies and TV shows.

Classics like Conan, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal and Willow continue to influence popular culture through their bygone style. However, there is still a wealth of other fantasy movies that remain hidden gems. This retro or dark fantasy deserves revisiting by any fan of the genre. It melds the impressive effects of horror and sci-fi with the glamor, adventure and theatricality of historical fiction dramas to create worlds, heroes...

Fabulous Films have released Jim Henson’s The Storyteller on DVD.

From the creators of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, this complete collection comprises of all 9 episodes of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller series narrated by John Hurt (The Elephant Man), plus all 4 episodes of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths narrated by Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore). Featuring both human actors and creations from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, The Storyteller won 2 BAFTA Awards and 1 Primetime Emmy Award.

Jim Henson’s daughter Lisa studied folklore as an undergraduate at Harvard, and suggested to her father that his creature shop could bring the European folk tales to life. It took 2 years for Academy-Award winning writer/director Anthony Minghella (The English Patient) to write, and perfect the nine original episodes. The series included the darker, scarier side of these traditional tales with their often bleak endings.

Jim Henson funded the pilot...

Fabulous Films have released Jim Henson’s The Storyteller on DVD. From the creators of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, this complete collection comprises of all 9 episodes of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller series narrated by John Hurt (The Elephant Man), plus all 4 episodes of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths narrated by Michael Gambon [...]

The post Fabulous Films releases Jim Henson’s The Storyteller on DVD first appeared on Horror Screams Video Vault - Supporting Independent Horror.

The fantasy genre has paved the way for multiple popular shows like Supernatural and Game of Thrones, which have become huge staples in pop culture. As iconic and bingeworthy as those series are, they feel flawed in certain areas, specifically with their endings. Meanwhile, there is an expansive library of hidden fantasy TV gems that don't get the recognition they deserve.

Whether overshadowed by competition, didn't have enough promotion or were unjustly canceled after one or two seasons, these fantasy shows have largely fallen under the radar. Nevertheless, dedicated fandoms have acknowledged these shows for the aesthetically pleasing and wildly creative narratives they are. From short-lived series like Lovecraft Country to action epics like Into the Badlands, these fantasy TV entries are entertaining with each passing episode.

Updated on March 15, 2025, by Chen Drachman: With more news coming out about the new Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,...

In recent years, seeing a show with tons of intrigue and a high-quality concept get axed after one season has become an unfortunate trend. Many point fingers at Netflix, a streaming service that has been continuously canceling beloved shows before they get a second season. However, while Netflix has received backlash for many undeserving cancelations, other networks and services have done it before.

What stings the most about these specific series is how many fresh and promising ideas they contain. These shows could have been memorable additions to their respective genres, yet their one-season run hindered that potential. Because low ratings and viewership couldn't justify the cost that went into these shows, their networks or services pulled the plug. 1899, Terra Nova, and The Society are just a few of many series with outstanding premises, but they only had one season for audiences.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Was...

Muppets creator Jim Henson was delivered a rough hand with two of his most advanced and misunderstood movies. One of these was Labyrinth, and the other was The Dark Crystal. Released in 1982, the film was originally released to mixed reviews and although it did not land as a complete box office disaster, it was by no means a runaway success. Now, the dark fantasy classic has secured the number one spot on Tubi’s free streaming charts.

The Dark Crystal introduces audiences to the mystical world of Thra, where Jen, the last of the Gelflings, is tasked with restoring the balance of the world by retrieving the pieces of the shattered Crystal of Truth. The fragmentation of the crystal has allowed the malevolent Skeksis, a race of vulture-like creatures, to seize control of Thra, and they’ve spread darkness and decay throughout the world. Jen must embark on a perilous...

To celebrate the release of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller available from 24th February on DVD, we have 2 copies to give away to lucky winners!

From the creators of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, this complete collection comprises of all 9 episodes of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller series narrated by John Hurt (The Elephant Man), plus all 4 episodes of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Greek Myths narrated by Michael Gambon (Albus Dumbledore). Featuring both human actors and creations from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, The Storyteller won 2 BAFTA Awards and 1 Primetime Emmy Award.

Jim Henson’s daughter Lisa studied folklore as an undergraduate at Harvard, and suggested to her father that his creature shop could bring the European folk tales to life. It took 2 years for Academy-Award winning writer/director Anthony Minghella (The English Patient) to write, and perfect the nine original episodes. The series included the darker, scarier side...

Quick LinksWhat Was Jim Henson's The Natural History Project?Why Did The Natural History Project Go Extinct?Did The Natural History Project Evolve Into a Beloved '90s Sitcom?

One of the best dinosaur movies of all time secretly destroyed Jim Henson's prehistoric passion project before it ever had the chance to be realized. Whether it's Jurassic Park, Godzilla, or The Land Before Time, dinosaur movies have always been some of the most ambitious undertakings in cinema. As a man who chased his dreams, pushed boundaries, and challenged his audiences, Jim Henson's career is filled with projects that once sought to elevate storytelling to new heights, and when dealing with creatures as massive and bizarre as the Tyrannosaurus rex, Brontosaurus, and Stegosaurus, one must aim high just to bring them to life. The Natural History Project would have tested Henson like never before, and had it not been for unexpected circumstances,...

During an appearance at Scad TVFest, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, creators of Netflix's Stranger Things, revealed that their new show The Boroughs shares "a lot of DNA" with the juggernaut series, as well as a beloved but hard-to-find 1980s sci-fi classic.

Per Collider, the Duffer brothers revealed information about the upcoming series, which is set in a New Mexico retirement community and follows a group of misfits who discover a sinister supernatural force threatening their lives. If that premise sounds similar to the 1985 Ron Howard film Cocoon, that's not an accident, though the concepts are ultimately very different.

Ross Duffer explained that The Boroughs is based on an idea from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who will serve as showrunners while the Duffers produce:

"So we've got one called 'The Boroughs...' It has a lot of DNA of 'Stranger Things,...

Quick LinksThe Black Cauldron Is a Classic Dark FantasyIt's Comparable to Icons In the GenreThere's So Much More to Be Done With This StoryDisney Has the Opportunity to Change Their Live-Action Reputation

Walt Disney Animation Studios has been creating family-friendly films for almost a hundred years, resulting in hundreds of well-known and widely praised movies. Among the most beloved films by Disney, some underrated and nearly forgotten animated movies deserve more attention. One of these movies, The Black Cauldron, has a major cult following. Viewers don't appreciate this movie because of its iconic Disney themes, but due to its dark, frightening aspects, which make it unlike most films by the production company.

Though some Disney live-action adaptations were incredibly successful, such as The Lion King (2019) and Beauty and the Beast (2017), many have fallen short of expectations, making this current trend controversial. One could make the argument that Disney needs to...

In the age of streaming, it's harder than ever for some shows to get a long runway, even if it makes certain more expensive projects possible. One such show that failed to stick for more seasons and arguably deserved better was The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, the prequel series to Jim Henson's 1982 cult classic The Dark Crystal. Released on Netflix in 2019, the series followed three young Gelflings, Rian, Brea, and Deet, who become the leaders of a rebellion against the tyrannical Skeksis after discovering the threat their plans pose to the planet Thra. Between a high $97.7 million reported budget and the fact that it was already a more niche series, it was swiftly cancelled despite widespread acclaim and an Emmy win. Among those disappointed by the loss was writer Simon Racioppa, who emphasized the team still had a lot of ideas left to explore.

Bryn Chainey’s “Rabbit Trap,” starring Dev Patel, Rosy McEwen, and Jade Croot, is a three-hander folk horror deeply rooted in Welsh lore and the precarious balance between humans and the natural world. It concerns a couple (Patel and McEwen) living in a remote cottage who suddenly have a strange child (Croot) burrowing into their lives after they disturb a Tylwyth Teg fairy ring.

“You might try to bury something, but something, it’ll grow,” Chainey said of the traumas lurking at the fringes of the new Midnight section thriller. “I grew up loving the illustrations of Brian Froud. He’s the guy that designed ‘The Dark Crystal’ and ‘Labyrinth,’ and he wrote these amazing books about fairies and goblins and pixies, all the folklore of the Celtic part of the U.K.”

“For me as a kid, these things were real, they were just an extension of nature,” Chainey continued.

The Midnight strand at the Sundance Film Festival has come into its own in the last few years, showcasing films that push the increasingly conservative boundaries of genre. One of this year’s offerings — the U.K.-shot Rabbit Trap, written and directed by Bryn Chainey — did that a little too successfully for some. Drawing on ancient folklore, fables and myths, Chainey’s film was branded a ‘folk horror’, a promise the film could not live up to.

Though it is certainly disturbing at times, Rabbit Trap is hard to describe and even harder to put a category to, which is appropriate since the whole film is trying to talk about things that cannot be put into words. It stars Dev Patel as Darcy, who works as a sound engineer for his wife Daphne (Rosy McEwan), who makes experimental music at their home in a remote Welsh cottage. The year...

The feeling of watching the film Rabbit Trap is one that is comparable perhaps only to the first time you hear your favorite song through a pair of actually good headphones. What was once a familiar old friend, is now something new, something different. Where once only silence was heard, now new frequencies and new sonic pathways open up from places that always dwelled under the surface, yet until now had never been accessible to you. Yes, this film is quite a bit like that.

Rabbit Trap is the story of Daphne (Rosy McEwan), an analog synth obsessed avant-garde musician, and her husband, Darcy (Dev Patel), a introverted sound designer who spends his days lugging his audio equipment into the forest to record the sounds of nature at work. Seeking to immerse themselves in both their art and their relationship, the couple decides to sequester themselves in a scaredy populated forest home in Wales.

Robert Eggers reminds me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power to finally, at long last, bring a sequel to Jim Henson‘s Labyrinth into the world! A day after announcing his Werwulf film project for Focus Features and Nosferatu coming to digital platforms, Robert Eggers confirms he’s writing and directing a Labyrinth sequel for TriStar Pictures. I am freaking the f**k out, friends. Labyrinth is one of my favorite films of all time, and the thought of Eggers taking the reins for a sequel to Jim Henson’s 1986 classic fantasy film is giving me life!

Plot details for Eggers’s Labyrinth sequel remain more mysterious than Jareth’s magnificent package, though sources say the film is a sequel, not a remake, to Henson’s timeless, puppet-populated masterpiece. Eggers will write the script with Sjón, his writing partner for 2022’s The Northman. The duo is...

In addition to the just announced 13th century werewolf movie Werwulf for Focus Features, director Robert Eggers will also be writing and directing a follow-up to the Jim Henson classic Labyrinth for TriStar Pictures, Deadline reports this afternoon.

According to the outlet, Eggers has “closed a deal” to make the movie for TriStar.

Deadline further details, “Plot details for Eggers’ Labyrinth are under wraps, but we’re told the film is a sequel, rather than a remake of Jim Henson’s 1986 classic.”

In Labyrinth, which starred David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly…

A 16-year old girl 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.

Eggers is co-writing the script with frequent collaborator Sjón. Chris and Eleanor Columbus will produce alongside Lisa Henson.

Brian Henson will be executive producing Eggers’ Labyrinth sequel.

Fede Alvarez...

In 1982, Jim Henson committed an act of madness to celluloid. Henson, best known as the maestro of all things Muppet-related, resolved to direct an original fantasy movie in live-action, in which no human beings would appear. Instead, Henson wanted to push the boundaries of puppet and animatronic technology to create an alien world with all the same weight and motion as the real thing. The resulting movie, The Dark Crystal, which Henson co-directed alongside his longtime collaborator Frank Oz, baffled critics and audiences. Today, viewers rediscovered the film, and come to recognize it as an overlooked masterpiece of cinema -- possibly the greatest work of art Henson ever created. Oz, for his part, dismisses his directorial credit, crediting Henson with most of the film's creative decisions.

To date, no other filmmaker has attempted to do what Henson and Oz did here. The Dark Crystal remains a singular, unparalleled work of creative vision and artistic determination.

The 1980s saw a wave of dark fantasy films that felt like moody fairytales. Some films, like Neil Jordan’s The Company of Wolves, are retellings of actual fairytales, while others, like Jim Henson’s Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, are brand-new material. Building on identifiable children’s stories automatically attracts a younger audience, especially when the marketing for the film plays up the source material. In 1988, Jan Švankmajer released Alice, one of the darkest versions of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Well aware of his possible audience, one of Alice's first lines is, "Now you will see a film made for children...perhaps." Half stop-motion, half live-action, Alice sees a young Kristýna Kohoutová play the titular Alice. The film follows the basic framework of the original Alice in Wonderland while dilating the surrealist logic and coming-of-age aspects to unsettle the audience with a more subliminal type of horror. For...

This week’s episode of Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” is notable for a few reasons – one, it is dark and scary, adding in some creepier layers to the otherwise cheerful tone of the latest live-action Lucasfilm joint. There’s a lot of Neel (Robert Timothy Smith), the adorable blue alien. And one of the main characters has a dramatic change of heart.

But the most notable distinction of this week’s episode was that it was directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert aka the Daniels, the filmmaking team that won the Best Director and Best Picture Oscar for “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” This is, in fact, their first directorial effort since their multiverse comedy swept the Oscars.

And the Daniels directing an episode of “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” isn’t an outlier either. The first season of the ambitious new series, which channels 1980s nostalgia through...

Whether you're getting ready to deck the halls or return to Saturnalia, the holiday season is very much underway. Don't worry, there's still plenty of time to shop for the pop culture lovers in your life, and The A.V. Club is once again here to help. Film Editor Jacob Oller,...

Dark fantasy is a genre that is loved, although not particularly new. Films like The Dark Crystal have been around for over 40 years and still come as the most classic dark fantasy flicks. However, the "dark" in the genre is more of an allusion to the overall style and not to the content. Dark fantasy movies usually include visuals that are intentionally creepy or disturbing but can remain light-hearted overall.

Amazon has launched its Cyber Monday sales, including plenty of horror and genre-adjacent 4K Ultra HDs, Blu-rays, DVDs, e-books, and toys.

These discounts aren’t guaranteed to last, so act fast!

Here are the horror highlights of Cyber Monday 2024 from Amazon…

4K Uhd Collections:

Heavy Metal / Heavy Metal 2000 [Steelbook] – $19.99 The Sandman: Season 1 – $19.99 Dune / Dune: Part Two – $29.99 The Dark Knight Trilogy – $29.99 Batman: 4-Film Collection – $39.99 Paramount Scares: Rosemary’s Baby / Pet Sematary / Crawl / Smile / Sweeney Todd – $39.99 Paramount Scares: Friday the 13th Part 2 / Breakdown / World War Z / Orphan: First Kill – $47.39 Jaws 2 / Jaws 3 / Jaws: The Revenge – $44.99 Jurassic World: 6-Movie Collection – $49.99 The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy – $54.99 The Ring Collection – $59.29 Mad Max: 5-Film Collection – $69.99 Universal Classic Monsters: 8-Film Collection – $69.99 Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment – $76.45

4K Uhd Movies:

Escape From L.A. – $8.99 Brawl In Cell Block 99 – $9.96 The Expendables – $9.98 Talk To Me – $9.99 John Wick – $9.99 Ghost in the Shell (1995) – $10.49 Mortal Kombat (2021) – $10.89 King Kong (2005) – $10.98 Godzilla (2014) – $10.99 Kong: Skull Island...

No longer just a day, Black Friday sales now kick off the week before Thanksgiving.

In fact, Amazon has already launched sales on dozens of horror (and genre-adjacent) 4K Ultra HDs, Blu-rays, and DVD, compiled below.

These discounts aren’t guaranteed to last, so act fast!

4K Uhd Collections:

Dune / Dune: Part Two – $29.99 The Dark Knight Trilogy – $29.99 Rosemary’s Baby / Pet Sematary / Crawl / Smile / Sweeney Todd – $39.99 Friday the 13th Part 2 / Breakdown / World War Z / Orphan: First Kill – $47.39 Jurassic World: 6-Movie Collection – $49.99 The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy – $54.99 The Ring Collection – $59.29 Mad Max: 5-Film Collection – $69.99 Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment – $80.00 Universal Classic Monsters: 8-Film Collection – $96.98

4K Uhd Movies:

Escape From L.A. – $8.99 Cloverfield – $8.99 Brawl In Cell Block 99 – $9.96 Talk To Me – $9.99 King Kong (2005) – $10.99 Godzilla (2014) – $10.99 Kong: Skull Island – $10.99 Godzilla: King of the Monsters – $10.99 Godzilla vs Kong – $10.99 The Thing – $10.99 Shaun of the Dead – $10.99 The Shining – $10.99 A Quiet Place – $10.99 M3GAN – $10.99 Nope – $10.99 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse...

This article contains discussions of violence and self-harm.

Works of dark fantasy that border on being considered horror movies are a vital part of the genre. Not only are these films thrilling and exciting to watch, but they also tackle taboo subjects and deal with the more complex and murky aspects of the human experience. Filmmakers must grapple with the grotesque and violent as much as they do the happy and magical parts of fantasy. Using the genre solely as a means of escapism is a failure, as fantasy and other works of speculative fiction have the opportunity to take on some of the biggest issues facing society.

Many of the darkest films of the genre are the best R-rated fantasy movies, but there are also plenty of stories that incorporate serious and intense subjects into narratives meant for all audiences. It's a misconception that younger viewers can't handle dark...

George Lucas and Ron Howard’s legendary fantasy epic Willow is ready to cast a spell and protect the child on 4K HD Blu-ray for the first time beginning on December 10. This glorious presentation of the beloved film arrives as a 4K Uhd Blu-ray SteelBook, making it a fine addition to any physical media collection. If you’ve moved on from collecting discs, Willow is coming to digital platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.

Here’s the official synopsis for Willow courtesy of today’s official press release:

From legendary filmmakers George Lucas and Ron Howard comes Willow, a timeless fantasy tale where heroes come in all sizes. When Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) finds an abandoned baby girl, he learns she is destined to end the reign of wicked Queen Bavmorda. Willow teams up with a rogue swordsman (Val Kilmer) to protect the child against the darkness.

The historic Jim Henson Company lot, which started life as Charlie Chaplin Studios in Los Angeles, has found a new buyer: John Mayer.

Yes, the singer-songwriter behind “Daughters” and “Waiting on the World to Change” has partnered with filmmaker McG to purchase the sprawling lot, located in the heart of Hollywood at 1416 N. La Brea Ave. The contract is in final negotiations as of Monday night, TheWrap has learned.

Mayer recorded his excellent 2021 album “Sob Rock” at Henson Recording Studios, part of the same lot, and filmed a performance video for “Last Train Home” (from the “Sob Rock”) album there.

Watch that recording below:

McG is best known for directing the “Charlie’s Angels” movies starring Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore, along with “Terminator Salvation,” “We Are Marshall” and this year’s Netflix YA epic, “Uglies.”

Earlier this year, TheWrap exclusively reported that the lot was up for sale.

Physical media culture is alive and thriving thanks to the home video tastemakers hailing everywhere from The Criterion Collection to Kino Lorber and the Warner Archive Collection. Each month, IndieWire highlights the best recent and upcoming Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K releases for cinephiles to own now — and to bring ballast and permanence to your moviegoing at a time when streaming windows on classic movies close just as soon as they open.

New in November are cult classics getting a proper home video life for the first time, including Christina Hornisher’s 1974 exploitation classic “Hollywood 90028,” about a cinematographer whose Tinseltown alienation leads him to commit a murder. Our Jim Hemphill deemed it “one of the greatest films ever made about how truly brutal Hollywood’s dream factory can be on those whose dreams don’t come true.”

Meanwhile, and we’re cheating a bit, a Vinegar Syndrome 4K Uhd of...

Guillermo del Toro's movies lean toward heavier themes; even his Pinocchio adaptation was more faithful to the grim version of the children's story. Fans still consider his 2006 film Pan's Labyrinth his best contribution to the dark fantasy subgenre.

Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth is now streaming on Prime Video. The film's cult following has only grown over the years, fueled by overwhelming acclaim from critics. Pan's Labyrinth is one of cinema's all-time best dark fantasies, an eclectic subgenre highlighted by fan-favorites Spirited Away, Coraline, Dark Crystal, The Crow, and the bulk of Tim Burton's movies. Del Toro described Pan's Labyrinth as a parable influenced by traditional fairy tales, a dark spin on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia series. Set in 1944 Spain, the story of Pan's Labyrinth revolves around its female protagonist's fantastic adventures, juxtaposed with the real-world horrors of the Francoist regime.

Related Guillermo Del Toro's 9 Darkest Movies,...

An actor who has appeared in Prometheus, Dark Crystal and Bleachers has warned against signing AI avatar contracts after his face was used to peddle a misleading Venezuela propaganda campaign.

Dan Dewhirst released a statement via UK actors union Equity about his experience in order to warn others.

Dewhirst said he signed a contract in 2021 with tech company Synthesia to become one of the first actors whose likeness would be made into an AI avatar. He auditioned for the avatar part and got it but became suspicious about the wide-ranging clauses in the contract, so he contacted his agent and Equity. Concerns were echoed and Dewhirst said he and his lawyers tried to get the contract changed yet failed, but he was showed the booking confirmation which included stipulations that the avatar can’t be used for illegal or unsavoury purposes, he said.

However, two years later he was sent...

Netflix has been increasingly craven in its corporate mentality, jacking up its prices for no reason and treating its beloved shows with the heartlessness of a landlord. This is not particularly unique when looking at the behavior of most streaming giants in today's capitalist hellscape, but there's some inexplicable extra level of personal insult when it comes to Netflix's cancellations. For a service that seemingly built its brand on catering to what audiences proved they wanted, they have a surprising amount of fan-favorite skeletons in their closet. When looking at their mass grave, the one that personally hurt me the most was their burying The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, the prequel show to Jim Henson's cult classic film The Dark Crystal. It was a visually sprawling yet narratively tight epic that made the world of Thra feel more alive than ever before and could have been Netflix's version...

Jim Henson's 1986 film "Labyrinth" is a deeply beloved classic among kids of a certain age. It presents the raw sexuality of David Bowie, playing a sexy goblin lord in tights, his bulging package kickstarting millions of kids' puberties. At the beginning of the film, the main character, the 16-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wants nothing more than to live in a fantasy world, happy to remain in her pretty-princess phase indefinitely. However, when Bowie's goblin king kidnaps her baby brother Toby (Toby Froud), she learns that living in such a world is wild and off-putting. Most of the film is a random, light adventure, but one scene points out that Sarah is unduly clinging onto her childhood trinkets.

She learns the lesson of I Corinthians 13:11. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man,...

When Walt Disney Pictures' Wish arrived on movie screens in 2023, marketing materials heralded it as a celebration of the Disney Animation legacy, a movie loaded with Easter eggs for Disney fans to spot over the runtime. Fans who sat through the closing credits would also enjoy a montage of character portraits from every Disney animated movie to date, though keen eyes would spot one glaring omission. 1985's The Black Cauldron did not get a shout-out from Wish.

In the almost 40 years since hitting cinemas, The Black Cauldron has earned something of a reputation as Disney's blackest sheep a movie so embarrassing the company would rather pretend it doesn't exist at all. Indeed, the Disney theme parks only feature a handful of off-hand references to The Black Cauldron. Tourists will not spot the characters signing autographs in Fantasyland. Disney television networks that helped other flop movies of the same period Tron,...

Fantasy movies often include heavy exposition and world-building, but that doesn't mean that the stories aren't character-driven or that the performances aren't important. The actors who bring to life the outlandish and otherworldly characters in fantasy projects have the difficult job of disappearing into their roles while being believably part of another universe. Since fantasy is a wide-reaching genre, the kinds of characters written into these projects might be terrifying wizards or relatively normal people with elements of wonder thrown into their characterization. However, a good actor will be able to embody whatever the role calls for.

There's an argument to be made that speculative fiction works better for TV, as there are plenty of amazing fantasy TV shows with satisfying endings and great performances. However, these actors prove that with the right story and characters, films can be the perfect place for a magical narrative. Even when the plot...

Three beloved Muppet characters reunited Sept. 24 for a video celebrating what would have been Jim Hensons 88th birthday. The Jim Henson Company posted a video on YouTube featuring Gobo Fraggle of Fraggle Rock, Kermit the Frog of The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and Oscar the Grouch of Sesame Street commemorating the birthday of the legendary Muppet creator.

The video, which runs about a minute and a half, starts off with Gobo popping out of a trash can saying hed never traveled through a Fraggle cave like that before. After hopping out of the trashcan, he exclaims that the place hes arrived at is amazing and quickly asks Kermit if he wants to explore outer space with him.

Related Retro Review: The Muppet Movie Is a Timeless Classic for All Ages

The Muppet Movie is a direct connection to the joy and wonder of childhood, no matter when in its...

The 1980s were a boom time for genre films, and no genre had more of a golden 80s than the fantasy film. It was a true trend that produced some of the most famous fantasy films of all time, from the sword and sorcery of Willow and The Princess Bride, to the weirdo almost art-film stylings of Legend and Labyrinth to the puppet-heavy work of The Dark Crystal and The NeverEnding Story. Even animation went heavily into hard fantasy with The Secret of Nimh, The Last Unicorn, Fire and Ice and more; the fantasy genre truly was everywhere in a way that wasn't replicated again until the fantasy TV boom that's been going strong since the 2010s and Game of Thrones.

With that TV trend still going strong, fantasy is at a height not seen since those halcyon 80s days, but while shows like House of the Dragon continue to...

Frank Oz’s illustrious career will be celebrated by the Museum of the Moving Image with screening series “The Magic of Oz: A Frank Oz Retrospective.”

All 15 films Oz directed will screen, ranging from “Little Shop of Horrors” to “The Muppets Take Manhattan” to “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Bowfinger.” Oz’s acting roles in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Inside Out,” plus his character creations for “Sesame Street” and “The Muppet Show,” will also be part of the lineup. The series will take place from October 4 to November 30.

“Frank Oz has been a revered and adored artist for generations, yet I’d argue he’s under-appreciated for his filmmaking, which he’s dedicated the past 40 years to,” curator of film Eric Hynes said.

“From the beginning he defied expectations, starting with his now-classic homage to the Hollywood studio musical and B-movie creature feature, ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ and continuing through...

While you wait for Grendel, the next feature-length production from Jim Hensons Creature Shop, to arrive, Hulu has you covered for your Jim Henson needs. Right now, the streamer is offering its subscribers the 80s double feature of their dreams as both The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth are available to add to your queue. Featuring incredible puppetry, storytelling, all-star talent, and David Bowies bulge (only in the latter), both movies are cult-classics in their own ways and deserve a back-to-back watch.

Jim Henson is known and beloved for his exceptional puppet creations, such as in The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. His craftsmanship will be on better display than ever, as the two films, which got a 4K Blu-ray re-release, are now available as collectors editions and with stylized steelbooks.

Although a 4K Blu-ray edition already exists for both of these 80s cult classics, the new collectors editions and steelbooks will feature never-before-seen artwork and special features. The Dark Crystal Collectors Set, which is available on Amazon, includes a 28-page book on the film, art cards, a sticker, and an exclusive replica of the films crystal shard. Fans will have to shell out a pretty penny, however, if they want to acquire this set, as it is currently priced at nearly $100. The steelbook edition, on the other hand, which does not include any of the additional items mentioned earlier, only costs a...

Shout! Studios is bringing two of Jim Henson's dark fantasy classics back to life and more magical than ever this fall. New Limited Edition 4K Uhd and Blu-ray Collector's Sets for The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth will be available on November 19, just in time for the holidays for anyone looking to return to the planet of Thra or the Goblin King Jareth's lair. Packed with artwork and other unique goodies relating to each film, the boxes are made to not only contain the remastered editions of the movies but also show off the collectibles found in each set. Both will be released alongside new Warmart-exclusive limited Steelbook editions of the two movies with stunning new artwork.

Champions of physical media rejoice: there's a pair of new Jim Henson box sets on the way. Shout! Studios is releasing new limited edition collectors' sets of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company. Both films are being offered in 4K Uhd and Blu-ray in...

Brian Tyree Henry got a surprising compliment while appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” It happened because the “Atlanta” and “Eternals” star was waiting in the green room with Kimmel’s other guest for the evening, second gentleman of the United States Doug Emhoff, whom he dubbed “the sweetest man in the world.”

“I was like, ‘I’m coming over for dinner, right?’ He was like, ‘Absolutely,'” Henry told Kimmel on Thursday night. But the most exciting part of their encounter had to do with Harris.

“I found out that Vice President Kamala Harris is a fan of mine, so I was like, I can die now,” Henry said. “She apparently also wants me to have bigger roles. So if you are watching, Hollywood, she has requested it, and you must follow through.”

Henry stopped by the late-night show to promote the upcoming animated movie “Transformers One.” From “Toy Story 4” director Josh Cooley,...

Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Denis O’Harke, and Clarke Peters star in ‘The Boroughs’ (Photos Courtesy of Netflix)

Netflix has released new details on The Boroughs, a project from the Stranger Things and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance teams that was announced back in April 2023. Described as a sci-fi / supernatural mystery, the upcoming series just announced a big-name cast and confirmed an eight-episode season.

“In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have… time,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. The streamer didn’t indicate a target time frame for The Boroughs to premiere.

Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home) plays Sam, Geena Davis (Blink Twice) stars as Renee, Alfre Woodard (Salem’s Lot) is Judy, Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story) plays Wally, Clarke Peters (Da 5 Bloods) is Art,...

Exclusive Interview: Paugh Shadow (The Omicron Killer) When did you first decide you wanted to venture into the filmmaking industry and is it all you dreamt it would be? After 9/11 and I was walking the streets of Manhattan because I lost my job at the World Trade Center, I saw people filming a movie. I asked what they were doing and asked if I could be apart. The rest is history. I just kept finding projects and progressed from there. Absolutely not what I dreamt it would be. It is definitely harder than one imagines. You have worked as an actor and a voice actor which one do you have more of a passion for and what is the vocal challenges between the roles? I have an equal passion for both. I have just had more opportunities with just acting as oppose to voice acting. The vocal challenges with acting...

Swedish novelist John Ajvide Lindqvist moved audiences with his monster hit Let the Right One In, and now he is breaking hearts again through the screen version of his novel Handling of the Undead. However, fans may have missed his most startling story of all: Border, a dark fantasy about a social outcast who learns that she is not a human being, but a legendary troll.

This 2018 Lindqvist adaptation by Iranian-Danish director Ali Abbasi uses powerful performances and stunning special effects to weave a spellbinding story about the quest for identity. The film's bewitching beauty and daring originality have won it rave reviews and a slew of awards, yet it has remained somewhat obscure. It is possible that the general public is just not ready for the challenges posed by Border, but its provocative political themes may make it a sleeper hit in years to come.

Border Features a Hero...

The new documentary feature showcasing “Muppets” creator ”Jim Henson” airs August 11, 2024 on ABC:

“…’Jim Henson Idea Man’ chronicles the story of artist and visionary Jim Henson. In his 36-year career, Henson created some of the world's most cherished characters, including the classic ‘Muppets’ including ‘Kermit the Frog’, ‘Miss Piggy’…

…and Sesame Street' residents, ‘Big Bird’, ‘Grover’, ‘Cookie Monster’, and ‘Bert’ and ‘Ernie’.

Henson also directed fantasy films ‘The Dark Crystal’ and ‘Labyrinth’, starring David Bowie.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Ron Howard's Jim Henson Idea Man, the year's most nominated documentary at this year's Emmys, will have its broadcast debut on Sunday, August 11, on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney.

The film explores the creative genius behind The Muppets, Fraggle Rock, and feature films like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Premiering in May at the Cannes Film Festival, it recently received eight Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program, and Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program. It is now streaming on Disney+.

Related Ron Howard's Jim Henson Movie Holds Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

Critics and viewers have given universal praise to the new Jim Henson movie from director Ron Howard.

Lisa Henson, one of Jim Henson's kids, features in the documentary in association with Disney Branded Television and Imagine Documentaries. It was not produced by the Jim Henson Company, which took...

Ron Howard’s Jim Henson Idea Man led all comers in the documentary categories as the nominations for the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced, racking up eight altogether, three more than the next most-nominated doc.

Among its nominations are Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program for Howard, recognition for writer Mark Monroe, cinematographers Igor Martinovic and Vanja Cernjul, picture editors Sierra Neal and Paul Crowder, the film’s sound editing and sound mixing teams, as well as David Fleming’s score.

“We’re so thrilled. What an honor from the Academy,” said Imagine Documentaries President Sara Bernstein, herself nominated for producing Jim Henson Idea Man. “We’re so excited.”

Jim Henson with Kermit the Frog, ca. early 1970s

The documentary explores the life and extraordinary creative output of the late Jim Henson, who created the Muppets and Fraggle Rock, directed Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal,...

Penguin Random House is set to acquire comic book and graphic novel publisher Boom! Studios.

The publishing house announced Wednesday that Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, has agreed to the deal for Boom! Studios, which was founded in 2005 by Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby. The deal is expected to close later this summer, and terms were not disclosed. As part of the transaction, Disney is selling its minority stake in Boom! Studios that 20th Century Fox acquired in 2017.

Boom! Studios will continue its editorial and publishing independence and will report to Random House Worlds president Scott Shannon, while Random House Worlds vp publisher Keith Clayton and Random House Publishing Group executive vp of business strategy Bill Takes will help manage the new imprint. Also part of Random House Worlds’ portfolio of imprints are Del Rey, Inklore and the Rh Worlds licensing program.

Boom! Studios’ made...

The Random House Publishing Group, a division of the world’s largest trade publisher, Penguin Random House, has entered into an agreement to acquire comic book, graphic novel and licensed storytelling publisher and studio, Boom! Studios.

The Boom! Studios publishing program will now join the Random House Worlds portfolio of imprints alongside Del Rey, Inklore and the Rh Worlds licensing program. The company will retain its editorial and publishing independence, reporting to Random House Worlds President, Scott Shannon. Keith Clayton, VP Publisher, Random House Worlds, and Bill Takes, EVP of Business Strategy, Random House Publishing Group, will work alongside Shannon and the Boom! Studios team to help manage and integrate the new imprint.

There are no plans to relocate Boom! Studios from its L.A. office, which President, Development Stephen Christy will continue to lead, and the company will continue to distribute through both Diamond Comic Distributors and Simon & Schuster.

Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance was critically acclaimed and well-received, winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program. The prequel series was even better than the original 1982 movie, with a more compelling plot and characters, and greater depth in exploring the world of Thra. The series' cancelation left many storylines unresolved, including the cliffhanger involving Deet and the future of the Gelfling rebellion.

Four years after its cancelation, I'm still mad that Netflix didn't continue The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Made by the Jim Henson Company, Age of Resistance was a prequel to Henson's 1982 Dark Crystal film. Through stunning puppetry and visual effects, a star-studded voice cast, and an engrossing story filled with political machinations and fantasy world-building, Age of Resistance told a thrilling tale of how three Gelflings ignited a rebellion against their Skeksis overlords.

Age of Resistance was critically acclaimed and well-received following...