A sequel to Labyrinth is in the works. Any thoughts on who might be able to follow Bowie in that role?

[highplainsdem]

Articles about the planned sequel:

https://consequence.net/2025/01/labyrinth-sequel-robert-eggers/

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/23/labyrinth-sequel-robert-eggers

[Drum]

1. Harry Styles?

[highplainsdem]

9. Good singer, and he got good reviews for his acting in Dunkirk, but bad reviews for later roles.

[eShirl]

16. my first thought as well

[hatrack]

2. Benedict Cumberbatch?

Just a thought . . . .

[highplainsdem]

10. Loved him as Sherlock. Really fine actor. Can't quite picture him as a glam, dangerous goblin king.

[hatrack]

14. Dangerous goblin king, yes.

Glam, not so much.

[LuvLoogie]

3. Cillian Murphy

100%

[highplainsdem]

11. Great actor. His intensity would be interesting. He's short, but surrounded by shorter actors (and goblins)...

[LuvLoogie]

12. They could CGI some extra height.

He'd be in long robes anyway. I wonder if it will still be Muppets

[chowder66]

25. Bowie was 5'10. Murphy is 5'9 fwiw

[highplainsdem]

27. Officially, but I've seen more sources saying Murphy's shorter than that. It doesn't really matter that much. They

can make him appear taller.

[chowder66]

28. Just hire shorter co-stars!

[Aristus]

4. Not sure I will watch it if it even gets made.

I don't like money-grabs ruining my enjoyment of the original inspiration.

I've never watched Blade Runner 2042, the sequel to the 1982 cyberpunk classic. And I don't think I ever will.

I will never watch anything related to the 1966 animated short film "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"; certainly not the Jim Carrey live action film, which, from the trailers alone, looks like a travesty. The computer animated re-make seems thoroughly unnecessary, so I won't bother seeing it.

The original "Labyrinth" was perfect. No need to futz everything up with a money-grubbing sequel. (Interesting personal story: I saw the original "Labyrinth" in 1986, just a week or so before I left for Basic Training in the Army. Jennifer Connelly's opening scene in the park, where she walks toward the camera reciting her lines, was the first thing I saw when I closed my eyes every night during Basic. It got me through the tough times. Caveat: I was only a year or so older than Connelly, so my fixation on her at the time shouldn't be considered weird or anything.)

[highplainsdem]

5. Understandable. I just can't imagine anyone else in Bowie's role there, which is why I asked for

other people's thoughts.

[Aristus]

6. When the VHS tape of the movie came out the next year, I bought it even though it retailed brand new for $100. (!)

I watched the film every day for weeks, in a dazed, dream-like state probably not unlike what Sarah experienced when she ate the drugged peach. Jennifer Connelly was just gobsmackingly gorgeous in that gown.

[highplainsdem]

7. She was gorgeous, and still is.

I was never that entranced by Bowie, possibly because I'd heard too much about him as a person to idolize him, much as I like his music.

But I still can't imagine where they'll find an actor as beautiful, otherworldly, and both menacing and sympathetic...and able to sing, if the sequel will be a musical.

[LudwigPastorius]

23. It wasn't Jennifer on the horsey?

(Actually, I guess that movie was quite a bit later than Labyrinth.)

[highplainsdem]

30. She turned 19 while they were filming Career Opportunities. She was 14 but looked older, playing a 16-year-old,

when Labyrinth was filmed. Bowie was 38.

[Ziggysmom]

8. Keanu Reeves?

Love him

[highplainsdem]

13. I do, too, but his age (60) would work against him.

And probably would with Cumberbatch and Murphy, too (they were suggested upthread). Both of them are ten years older than Bowie was then (he was in his late 30s), and Bowie had an ageless beauty and could look like a glam fairy king (definitely more fae than goblin).

[tanyev]

15. Ooh! Tom Hiddleston.

[highplainsdem]

18. Love him as Loki. Loved him in The Night Manager.

[Drum]

17. Tilda Swinton?

[highplainsdem]

19. Brilliant in lots of very different roles.

[Ziggysmom]

20. David Brighton?

?si=SwfLCinwDcc66ksm

[highplainsdem]

21. He's a really good tribute artist, but I don't know if he has any acting experience otherwise.

[edhopper]

22. Chalemet

[LudwigPastorius]

24. She's older than Bowie was, but just as otherworldly.

[highplainsdem]

29. ?????

[LudwigPastorius]

31. Bjork

[highplainsdem]

32. Thanks for explaining. I just did some googling and found out that's from her Cornucopia tour. I'd

assumed it was from some old film and a Google image search hadn't turned it up.

Since we were talking about the goblin king role, I'm not sure how Bjork - or any actress not known for being able to play male roles - could work.

Bowie didn't need costumes and makeup to seem otherworldly. There's a 1977 video - he was 30 then - where he's dressed casually, and smoking, and it's still easy to imagine him as the goblin king in Labyrinth, with that cool gaze.

[LudwigPastorius]

33. I have no idea what Eggers has in mind, but...

since this is a sequel and not a remake, he has a lot of leeway with the character.

Jareth is immortal and can, among other things, change himself into an owl. I imagine a being that lives forever would get tired of being the same gender after several millennia and could easily morph into a female form.

At the time of my first post, I didn't know this, but apparently the director has used Björk in another movie of his. So, this might be something he has actually considered.

>

[exboyfil]

26. Leave it alone

Stop desecrating the graveyard Hollywood.