Los Angeles (July 18, 2003) — Jim Henson Pictures announces their new production MirrorMask, a new fantasy feature film in the tradition of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth scheduled for worldwide release in 2004. Renowned modern comic book writer and best-selling novelist Neil Gaiman along with critically acclaimed multimedia artist Dave McKean, created the story of an unforgettable journey through a world filled with magic, fantastic creatures and illusion. Gaiman wrote the screenplay and McKean will direct the film using a combination of live-action and CG animation. Lisa Henson, Michael R. Polis and Martin G. Baker are Executive Producers and Simon Moorhead is Producer. The film stars Stephanie Leonidas as Helena, Gina McKee as Helena’s mother Joanne, as well as the two Queens, Rob Brydon as Helena’s father and Jason Barry as Valentine. “Dave McKean and I created the story and the script for MirrorMask in the Henson family home in London, surrounded by memorabilia and artifacts from Jim Henson’s astonishing career in television and fantasy filmmaking,” said Neil Gaiman, MirrorMask writer. “It was a true challenge and inspiration to try to make something today that would be as visually rich, creative, funny, and as moving as Jim Henson’s original works.”
“Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean are pillars of creativity within the fantasy genre, and all of us at Jim Henson Pictures are thrilled to partner with them on MirrorMask ,” said Lisa Henson, Executive Producer and President of Jim Henson Pictures. “We are especially pleased that this film will mark the first time that Neil’s remarkable writing and Dave’s stunning artistic vision have met in a feature film. We have no doubt that this collaboration will result in a wonderfully entertaining movie.”
MirrorMask
MirrorMask is a fantasy adventure story set in a magical world, an alternate reality that resembles an odd, fantastical circus. It is a land of opposing kingdoms, one perpetually existing in the light, the other in constant darkness, like the mask of a harlequin. These lands have existed in perfect balance until the Light Queen was put under a spell and fell into a magical sleep. Without their Queen, the Light Kingdom has no protection from the minions of the Dark.
Helena, a 15-year-old girl from our world, is brought into this world and must search, along with Valentine, a mischievous rouge, for the fabled MirrorMask, an object of immense power. They must hurry and awaken the Queen before the Light Kingdom is destroyed along with Helena’s only chance of getting home.
NEIL GAIMAN
Neil Gaiman first became known to the world with his wildly successful Sandman series for DC Comics’ Vertigo line, which earned him the World Fantasy Award for best short story, making Sandman the first comic book to ever win a literary award. Gaiman is also a four-time winner for the Will Eisner Award, and a two-time Harry Award Winner for best writer. His career has since spanned a variety of literary genres from short stories and children’s books, to screenplays and best-selling and award-winning novels Coraline, American Gods and Neverwhere.
DAVE MCKEAN
Dave McKean is a multimedia artist who has collaborated with Neil Gaiman on such award-winning graphic novels as Signal to Noise and Mr. Punch and illustrated Gaiman’s Coraline and The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish. His solo work includes the critically acclaimed Cages and Pictures That Tick. McKean is also well known for his distinctive covers for the Sandman series for DC Comics’ Vertigo line, and has directed several award-winning theatrical shorts including, Sonnet No. 138, n(eon) and The Week Before.
JIM HENSON PICTURES
Established in 1995, Jim Henson Pictures (JHP) is a division of The Jim Henson Company. JHP combines creativity, technical wizardry and powerful stories to create distinct, innovative, fantasy/sci-fi and family films. Having created high standards in the fantasy film genre with such films as THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, JHP continues to develop and produce high-quality feature films designed for the global family film market, including a total of six Muppet feature films. For a complete listing of credits or more information on JHP, please go to: www.henson.com
