Fede Alvarez, who directed last summer’s surprise hit “Don’t Breathe,” has been tapped to helm TriStar’s upcoming remake of Jim Henson‘s “Labyrinth,” TheWrap has learned.
Jay Basu will write the film along with Alvarez, which will delve further into the universe Henson created in his 1986 action-fantasy classic. TriStar and the Jim Henson Co. will co-produce the movie, with Lisa Henson producing and Nicole Brown overseeing the project for TriStar.
David Bowie’s character in the original will not be represented in the new film, insiders told TheWrap. The film is not billed as a remake or reboot — instead, it’s an offshoot set in the same universe. Bowie played Jareth, the Goblin King, the principal antagonist in the original movie. Jennifer Connelly starred as 15-year-old Sarah, the film’s heroine who had to navigate a maze to rescue her brother.
Alvarez and Basu are currently working together on “The Girl in the Dragon Tattoo” sequel “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” which Basu is writing and Alvarez is directing. The “Labyrinth” spinoff will start production after that movie, which is slated to open in 2018.
Alvarez is represented by WME and Stuart Manashil, while Basu is repped by UTA, 42’s Josh Varney, Kaplan/Perrone and attorney Peter Nichols.
Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.