The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, the prequel series to the 1982 fantasy puppet film, has been cancelled by Netflix after only one season. Confirming the news to io9, Henson Company CEO Lisa Henson said, “We can confirm that there will not be an additional season of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance."
Age of Resistance told the story of three Gelflings on a quest to unite their people against the tyrannical Skeksis. Like the Dark Crystal movie, the show was created with puppets and practical effects, giving it a distinct look and quality that can't be found outside of a Henson production. Unfortunately, that dedication to authenticity may ultimately what made the series unsustainable.
Henson's statement continued saying "we know fans are eager to learn how this chapter of The Dark Crystal saga concludes and we’ll look for ways to tell that story in the future. Our company has a legacy of creating rich and complex worlds that require technical innovation, artistic excellence, and masterful storytelling. Our history also includes productions that are enduring, often finding and growing their audience over time and proving again and again that fantasy and science fiction genres reflect eternal messages and truths that are always relevant. We are so grateful to Netflix for trusting us to realize this ambitious series; we are deeply proud of our work on Age of Resistance, and the acclaim it has received from fans, critics and our peers, most recently receiving an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program.”
Released on Aug 30th 2019, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance gained critical praise and won an Outstanding Children's Program Emmy at the recent Prime Time Emmy awards. However several factors such as the long production time, expensive budget and according to an unnamed source talking The Hollywood reporter, its performance being "an expensive disappointment" could have sealed its fate. A spin-off game, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics was released to positive reviews earlier this year.
Fans looking to experience more of the world of Thra needn't be too downhearted about the show's cancellation. Boom Studios have produced several comic series further exploring Jim Henson and Brian Froud's fantasy world.
Source: Variety