Director Fede Alvarez says the Labyrinth sequel script is complete and more

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

"It's only forever, not long at all."

– Jareth

Listen up, Fede Alvarez, I'm getting a little tired of being jerked around with all of this LABYRINTH sequel talk. It feels like word of a follow-up to Jim Henson's enigmatic fantasy classic was whispered eons ago, even though it was just last year when Lisa Henson of the Henson Company announced plans to create an official sequel to her father's 1986 film. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, that it sure would sure be nice if you could offer folks an honest-to-goodness update on the project. Oh, wait a minute. What's that? A draft of the script for a LABYRINTH sequel has been completed? And the movie is still very much in the works? Aw Fede, have I ever told you that you remind me of the babe? Never mind all that talk about pushing you into the Bog of Eternal Stench. Please, do continue.

That's right, Hensonites, DON'T BREATHE and EVIL DEAD director Fede Alvarez recently spoke with Fandango about the long-gestating LABYRINTH sequel, and during their talk, revealed that not only is the script written, but that he had just conducted a fireside chat with Lisa Henson hours before the conversation.

“I was actually having lunch yesterday with Lisa Henson and we reconnected with that project,” Alvarez revealed. “We're very excited about it. It is basically a direct continuation of the first movie many years later, and I can't tell you much more about it… but we have a script, and we're very excited about it so we'll see where that goes. Like always, it takes time and effort to put those movies together because they're larger than life. But that's one of the projects that I'm very excited about.”

While that's all well and good, it still doesn't provide us with a timeline for the project. Which begs the question: Does Alvarez see it all coming together in the near future?

“You never know, and really right now, I'm just finishing with this film so I'm not even thinking about what I'm going to do next. But all I can tell you is that I had lunch with her yesterday and it was great.”

Okay, so maybe the Bog of Eternal Stench scenario is still on the table. I mean, I know a lot of people who need this movie to happen, if only to witness an updated design of Jareth's magnificent codpiece. That thing was legend, and I'll be damned if it only gets to star in one film.

In Jim Henson's LABYRINTH, a 16-year-old girl (Jennifer Connelly) 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 (David Bowie). As the crown jewel of '80s family fantasy film cinema, LABYRINTH dazzled audiences with inspiring puppetry, mesmerizing set designs, and a cast of unforgettable characters unlike the world had ever seen at the time. The film continues to be an integral part of special screenings at theaters around the world, and lives on through the power of the comic book page. It's my hope that this project comes together sooner rather than later, as the world sure could use a little bit of magic right about now. We'll be sure to keep you updated on any further developments.

Source: Fandango

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.