Jim Henson's "Labyrinth" Gets a Sequel by Robert Eggers

In the "no one ever saw that coming" department, Robert Eggers is not in the news for a current or pending horror movie. Rather, he's being reported as signing on to co-write and direct the cult classic and Muppet-intensive Labyrinth.

TriStar Pictures announced that the deal is closed with Eggers to finally bring the long-awaited and -debated sequel for the 1986 Jim Henson film. Details about the project reveal that Eggers is not remaking the movie but creating an original sequel. He will be co-writing the script with his longtime collaborator, Sjon, with whom he developed The Northman. They will also be working on a future monster movie set in the 13th century,, Werwulf.

Not to be outdone by his own press, Eggers is also in headlines for receiving four Oscar nominations for Nosferatu, including Best Cinematography, Costume Design, Production Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling.

The news regarding the film featuring a young Jennifer Connelly and the remarkably talented David Bowie in music, fashion, and film was quieted just a few years back. Scott Derrickson was promoting the Marvel movie Doctor Strange. Some journalists sought a comment as Derrickson's name was the most recent linked to the film. And the Muppet fandom wished it wasn't asked.

I don't know what's happening with that. We never got the script all the way to a place where the studio wanted to make it, but I was very proud of the work that we did on it.

While it wasn't the wished-for response, that was the death knell in the project. It was all past tense; TriStar didn't want to discuss it any further, and no one else showed interest. Until now. If it's a cult classic with a dreary appeal, is this a film nerds of faith should mark on their calendars? You know, once they're done jumping up and down for joy?

Labyrinth may thematically surprise you

Source: TriStar Pictures, 1986

A young girl (Connelly). A Goblin King (Bowie). Some creepy characters (Jim Henson). And a dark tale of someone lost in a maze. Despite being created by Jim Henson during the peak of the Muppets' popularity and starring the multi-talented David Bowie, Labyrinth was a commercial failure. In 1986, this movie cost $25M to make. It only made half that much domestically and $34M during its entire theatrical run.

It was an acquired taste. No one expected Jim Henson to have a dark side, so to speak. Kermit and Miss Piggy would not be caught dead in Sarah's dream gallivanting at this masquerade ball. That's where she met the Goblin King, Jareth. If Big Bird had run into Bowie looking like that, he would have left feathers and a few other things in his wake.

The movie wasn't touchy-feely. Few thought it was even family-friendly. After all, Sarah does ask for the Goblin King to kidnap her baby brother. And that was from Jim Henson? Yet, it has become a substantial cult classic. In the 1980s, most older siblings wanted that to happen to their younger siblings. If not them, their parents. That's what made the film a counterculturalist story.

So, why bring it up here? The Nerd Elect did some investigating, which is to say, we watched this film a few times and discussed it. Would it surprise you to know that Jim Henson surreptitiously placed some Christian themes in the story? Yes, it's true. Among those corpulent trolls lies some truth about the grace of God.

The Hall of the Goblin King

Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) and Jareth (David Bowie) stare into the Labyrinth. (Credit: Alex Thomson via TriStar Pictures/The Jim Henson Company/Lucasfilm LTD)

As the adage goes, it's true that if you look hard enough at anything, you can find something that matters. Yet, here, not so much. There are magical spells and cauldrons at every turn. It's not exactly the fodder of "Dora the Explorer" or "Bluey," so kids shouldn't be that accepting of it. Should they? How does the dreary, fantastical land of fear have anything to do with God?

The Christian themes are there. Look harder.

Repentance and Forgiveness

It's a fairy tale. Labyrinth features a girl dressed as a princess. Then, a devilish prince comes to her rescue. Sounds like anything from Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, right? Only until we end up in a land that looks like M.C. Escher got angry or dizzy on one of those whirly rides at the playground.

Toby, Sarah's infant brother, would not stop crying, so she yells in her dream, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now." It's a movie, so they oblige. That's when she realizes the error of her ways. She asks for the Goblin King to change his mind, but no takebacks. He also notes that she doesn't "really" want him back.

Isn't that how humanity goes about things? We make an awful decision, get busted, are forced to reap what we sow, and then beg it to stop. That's us, only in the shadow of God, we repent and ask to be forgiven (1 John 1:9).

Adam, Eve, and "The Apple"

In Labyrinth, Sarah knows life one way. Her experiences have created a myopic vantage point, and that's fine. Yet, after she wishes away her brother, she needs to go to a place she has never been and consider things she has never done before. It didn't take much strength because she was already leaning in that direction.

She forces herself to grow up, eats a mystical peach, and chooses to lose her memory of the way things were. She wakes up in a trash city to the way things are. What was once her perfect life becomes a quick ballroom of opulence and ends up in a dump. And it all began with a bite of a forbidden fruit. Hmmmm.

Temptation

It's not like Christians can claim "temptation" as a theme that only strikes the church and those inside of it. That's ridiculous. Was Sarah tempted to eat the peach? Yes. Was she tempted to give up her life, forsaking everything else? Yes. But something was peculiar about the last time she faced off with Jareth, the Goblin King.

It was at the top of his castle. They were alone. And Jareth was remarkably persuasive. He was going to win the epic battle in the movie's climax, but love and strength prevailed. Top of a mountain. Alone and scared. Tempted by the most grueling enemy. When it was all said and done, the devil--or Goblin King--"and behold, angels came and ministered." (Matthew 4:11)

One last thing: Sarah was given 13 hours to run through the labyrinth or lose her family forever. In the Bible, "13" indicates "a change is coming." Writing a script, or a story about a great man, nothing is scribed by mistake. Nice job, Mr. Henson.