Neil Gaiman And Jim Henson Co. Reimagining The Storyteller

Neil Gaiman sure is one busy dude. When he’s not writing books, he’s running shows, and when he’s not running shows, apparently he’s developing new ones. Now, according to a press release from Fremantle, there’s a new interesting project on the way in the form of a reimagining of the ’80s anthology series The Storyteller, which I guess was kind of a big deal when it hit back in the day?

I say it like that because it’s a little outside of my time. But based on everything I’ve been able to look up, it seems like a pretty cool little show that could do with a fresh coat of paint. Plus, with Jim Henson back in business doing their puppet work on the upcoming Dark Crystal series, it’s high time we get a bit more out of them.

Here’s how Fremantle describes the original series, as I admit I’m no expert on the subject:

“Inspired by his daughter Lisa’s university studies in folklore and mythology, Jim Henson created the original version of The Storyteller in 1987 and directed multiple episodes, with Oscar winner Anthony Minghella writing all the episodes. The Emmy and BAFTA-winning live-action TV series featured creatures by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in a re-telling of various European folk tales, with a mysterious elfin storyteller (played by John Hurt). The world of The Storyteller was inhabited by various mystical and magical characters – heartless giants, enchanted beggars, white lions and human hedgehogs – exploring themes such as fear, desire, death and destiny, and challenging notions about good and evil.”

This new take on the show will be written and executive produced by Gaiman. Here’s what he had to say to the outlet.

“Part of what fascinates me about The Storyteller is the stuff that we don’t know. Who was the Storyteller, why was he telling these stories, was he a goblin, what kind of creature? What I’d love to do is an inside story that’s as long as the outside story. We’re going to find out a lot about who the storyteller is, we’re going to find out things we don’t even know that we don’t know. We’re going to begin in a Northern kingdom where stories are forbidden and where the act of telling a story is liable and can get you imprisoned or executed. If you put a storyteller into that situation, things would need to start getting interactive.”

The Storyteller has always been a special project for me, having worked so closely with my dad on the original concept,” said Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company. “Neil Gaiman is an expert in traditional folklore and mythology, in addition to himself being the modern ‘storyteller’ for our times. I feel like if Neil were an actor, he’d have to play (the Storyteller) because he embodies what the storyteller is, a skillful wordsmith who can entertain people with the power of the story itself, and not to mention he also memorizes it all in his head.”

Are you excited for this new take on the series? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: Fremantle

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