NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES "THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE" ANNOUNCES STELLAR VOICE CAST FOR THE RETURN TO JIM HENSON'S BELOVED CLASSIC

Fans given a first look at the prequel series as the first images are released

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will launch globally on Netflix in 2019

netflix.com/thedarkcrystal

Rian (voiced by Taron Egerton)

Brea (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy)

Deet (voiced by Nathalie Emmanuel)

· Leading the voice cast are Taron Egerton (Kingsman), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), and Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones), as Rian, Brea and Deet, three Gelfling heroes.

· Other Gelfling characters are voiced by:
Rian - Taron Egerton (Kingsman)
Brea - Anya Taylor Joy (The Witch)
Deet - Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones)
Caitriona Balfe (Outlander)
Helena Bonham-Carter (The King's Speech)
Harris Dickinson (forthcoming Maleficent 2)
Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones)
Eddie Izzard (Ocean's Thirteen)
Theo James (The Divergent Series)
Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)
Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Cloverfield Paradox)
Mark Strong (Kingsman)
Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider)

· The Skeksis & Mystics are voiced by:
Harvey Fierstein (Torch Song)
Mark Hamill (Knightfall, Star Wars)
Ralph Ineson (Game of Thrones)
Jason Isaacs (The OA)
Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele)
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (True Detective)
Simon Pegg (Mission Impossible)
Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine Nine)

· Aughra will be voiced by:
Donna Kimball (The Happytime Murders)

· Additional characters will also be voiced by puppeteers from the production, including Alice Dinnean, Louise Gold, Neil Sterenberg and Victor Yerrid. Further casting will follow in due course.

· Based on The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson's groundbreaking 1982 feature film, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance tells a new epic story, set many years before the events of the movie, and realized using classic puppetry with cutting edge visual effects. The world of Thra is dying. The Crystal of Truth is at the heart of Thra, a source of untold power. But it is damaged, corrupted by the evil Skeksis, and a sickness spreads across the land. When three Gelfling uncover the horrific truth behind the power of the Skeksis, an adventure unfolds as the fires of rebellion are lit and an epic battle for the planet begins.

· About the voice cast, Cindy Holland, VP of Original Series, Netflix said: "To match the stunning visual world of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, we knew we had to entice some incredible voice talent to add dimension to the exquisite artistry of the puppeteers who bring the characters to life. I am proud to say that this may be one of the finest casts assembled from the world's favorite TV shows and movies, and I am now even more excited for fans to come back to Thra with us, and for new viewers to discover this world for the very first time."

· Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company said, "It is humbling to see so many truly gifted actors join The Dark Crystal universe by adding their voices to Age of Resistance. As with the original film, we are now adding a voice cast of the highest caliber that will provide textures and range to the puppetry performances that are the heart of the series. It is thrilling to see this assembled team of artists, puppeteers and now voice actors, many inspired by my father's original film, work together to realize this unique world - through performance and craft - at a scale that is rarely seen today."

· Logline: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis' power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.

About The Dark Crystal

The world of The Dark Crystal began with Jim Henson's groundbreaking 1982 movie, which he co-directed with Frank Oz. Jim Henson had been, until that time, known primarily as the genius behind the Muppets, and this fantasy adventure feature, the first to have an all-puppet cast, marked a turn to more realistic characters and creatures.

From inception to release, The Dark Crystal was seven years in the making and has since gone on to become a cult classic around the world. Visually conceived by Character and Costume Designer Brian Froud, Thra, the setting for this epic story, is teeming with characters brought to life by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, including Gelfling heroes, villainous Skeksis, wise Mystics, and a host of original creatures. Jim Henson's unique vision was - in his own words - the hardest thing he ever worked on, describing it as "a work of art" and "the one that I'm most proud of."

The visually stunning movie launched a huge range of publishing and collectible merchandise. Two series of graphic novels and a series of young adult novels combined to expand the Dark Crystal world, introducing origin stories, sequel storylines, and a broad canvas to tell a prequel story of the matriarchal Gelfling culture in a time when the world of Thra was younger and more vibrant. A new generation will soon be able to experience the wonder of this world, when The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance comes to Netflix globally.

The Dark Crystal, a truly classic movie, introduced a rich, vibrant, hand-crafted world, on which The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will only expand, continuing Jim Henson's innovative and creative legacy. Audiences will once again be thrilled to explore the world of Thra in this epic fantasy that everyone will be talking about.

About Netflix

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About The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 60 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world-famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include Julie's Greenroom (Netflix), Dot. (Universal Kids /Hulu), Splash and Bubbles (PBS), Word Party (Netflix), Doozers (Hulu/ Sprout), and the Emmy(R)-nominated Sid the Science Kid (PBS), Dinosaur Train (PBS), and Pajanimals (Universal Kids). Television productions include Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller and the sci-fi cult series Farscape. Features include Sony's The Star, Disney's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, as well as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, MirrorMask, and Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow. The Company is currently in production on the upcoming Netflix original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Projects in development include the highly anticipated film Fraggle Rock. With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and post production facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop(TM), a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company's Henson Alternative brand is currently touring Puppet-Up! - Uncensored, a live puppet improvisational show, and its feature The Happytime Murders, starring Melissa McCarthy, was released this summer. http://www.henson.com www.facebook.com/hensoncompany www.twitter.com/hensoncompany www.instagram.com/hensoncompany