The Hollywood Reporter is currently running a great piece celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Jim Henson Company. In addition to looking back over their rich history, the article also talks in brief about quite a few upcoming projects, including Gaiman and McKean’s ‘Mirrormask’ and the new ‘Dark Crystal’ material. Be sure to click on the links in their sidebar for even more Henson stuff.

To be sure, a lot is going on within the Henson Co. empire in advance of what would have been the beloved patriarch’s 69th birthday Saturday (he died May 16, 1990, at age 53 of bacterial pneumonia). “It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider” — a new book of quotes, stories, anecdotes and insight from Jim Henson and his friends and colleagues — was released last week.

On Saturday, the Museum of Television & Radio in Los Angeles and New York will host daylong events to herald Henson’s accomplishments and his company’s history. And on Sept. 28, the U.S. Postal Service will honor Henson with a series of 11 postage stamps — one featuring his likeness and the others featuring Muppet characters.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Benjamin Feingold is excited to be aligned with the Henson Co. on its fantasy movie releases, including DVD issues of 1982’s “Dark Crystal” and 1986’s “Labyrinth.” “The great thing about those fantasy projects is they never get dated,” he says. “And I think ‘MirrorMask’ is already looking like it has that same potential to be a cult classic.”

As part of the new Henson synergy that exploits the company’s extensive library while also making new product, a “Dark Crystal” animated series aimed at older children is in the works for Cartoon Network. “There was a belief that kids didn’t want to watch fantasy, but you don’t hear that as much anymore, in part because the people in place now at the networks were raised on Jim’s work,” says Halle Stanford, Henson’s head of children’s television.

Moreover, the partnerships with Disney and HIT have resulted in successful home video releases of such beloved Henson programs as “The Muppet Show” (the Aug. 9 release of the Season 1 DVD rocketed to No. 1 on the Amazon.com sales chart) and “Fraggle Rock.” The first three “Fraggle” DVDs, released earlier this year, have sold well, and a Season 1 boxed set hit store shelves Sept. 6. A “Fraggle Rock” feature film also is in the works.

The News, Movie/TV, On DVD