New Labyrinth Movie Reportedly in Development From Nosferatu’s Robert Eggers

Hot off the release of his hotly anticipated horror remake Nosferatu, Jeff Sneider of The InSneider has just reported that Robert Eggers has been tapped to helm a remake of the classic 1986 fantasy musical film, Labyrinth. This remake will be made in conjunction with Sony Pictures and the Jim Henson Company. Directed by Henson himself with puppets created by his Creature Shop, Labyrinth tells the story of the 16-year-old Sarah (played by Jennifer Connelly) who must embark on a quest in a constantly changing maze to rescue her baby brother from the clutches of the Goblin King, Jareth (played by David Bowie), with the help of various magical creatures.

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While the film didn’t quite strike a chord with audiences or critics during its original release, Labyrinth has since gone on to become a cult classic due to its mix of whimsical storytelling and dark imagery, imaginative characters, and Bowie’s captivating performance. Just like Henson’s previous film, The Dark Crystal, which was also only a modest success, Labyrinth would become far more successful years after it hit theaters.

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If reports are true that Eggers is taking on the fantasy classic as his next project, it will be the first time the filmmaker helms a film that isn’t R-rated (unless he decides to amp up the darker elements, of course). While the director hasn’t helmed anything even approaching family-friendly, his uniquely gothic aesthetic may be just the thing to revamp Labyrinth while also staying true to what’s made it so iconic to fans for decades.

Past Attempts to Make a Labyrinth Sequel

There have been multiple attempts to produce a sequel to the fantasy fan-favorite. In 2016, it was announced that Nicole Perlman (whose writing credits include Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, Detective Pikachu, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire) was tapped to write the follow-up. Not long after, Fede Álvarez was hired to direct a new version of the film, with Henson’s daughter Lisa Henson producing. Neither project ever got off the ground.

2020 saw Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson come aboard the sequel, which he was co-writing with Maggie Levin, and Lisa Henson and her brother, Brian Henson, were producing it. Connelly revealed in 2021 that she had had conversations about appearing in the sequel though she was still unsure if it was ever going to happen. While Derrickson’s project won’t happen, when asked for an update on the Labyrinth sequel, Brian told ComicBook “Well, that’s a question you have to ask my sister. My sister Lisa, who’s CEO of the Jim Henson Company. That is a project that we are very excited about, but we can’t talk about it.”