Bowie had a knack for playing futuristic and/or otherworldly characters, and one of his more memorable roles was his turn as Jareth the Goblin King in Jim Henson’s Labyrinth (1986). The bizarre and mind-bending fantasy film bombed at the box office but quickly became a cult classic and is now beloved by ’80s babies the world over.
And so, like all that is beloved these days, it’s getting a reboot.
According to THR a contemporary take on Labyrinth is already in the works and has tapped Guardians of the Galaxy co-writer Nicole Perlman to pen the script. If the words “too soon” come to mind, you’re not alone, but it seems likely that this was at least percolating before Bowie’s untimely passing.
For those that are unfamiliar with the original, here’s a brief synopsis courtesy of IMDb: “A selfish 16-year-old girl 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.”
The real problem with this project as we see it is that David Bowie is pretty much the first thing you think of when you think of Labyrinth. His performance as the Goblin King is the sort of thing that you just can’t recreate. It was everything that Bowie was himself: Charismatic, enigmatic, captivating, unique, et cetera, et cetera.
Fans can only hope that — with the The Jim Henson Co. involved in production — this reboot can capture the quirky and fantastical spirit of the original, which also starred Jennifer Connelly and Shelley Thompson.
Details are still scarce at this point and the film has yet to set a release date. We’ll keep you updated as information becomes available.
