The Dark Crystal Star Mark Strong Reacts to Netflix’s Cancellation of Series

An ever-growing number of Netflix originals have been given the axe this year, and each one has managed to be its own level of surprising and controversial. The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance is definitely among them, after the imaginative series was canceled after one season back in September. The news broke the hearts of fans within the series’ fandom — as well as some of the series’ cast members. In a recent interview with Collider, Ordon voice actor Mark Strong spoke out about the series’ cancellation, which he called a “shame”.

“It is a shame because it was such a magical show,” Strong explained. “It was such a great attempt to create something that was completely different from anything that you see on television. It was a real family show. Kids were fascinated by it but adults could relate to the storylines. It’s a shame that it hasn’t gone for a second [season]. I’ve no idea why that is. My character, Ordon, died in the first [season], so I wouldn’t have been involved in the second [season] anyway.”

“That often happens with me with the shows,” Strong continued. “If I’m earmarked to run to two or three films, I tend to get killed off in the first. If I’m lucky enough to survive, often they don’t get picked up. I take all of those things as they come. So, I wasn’t particularly upset for myself but it has a huge fan base and I was upset for those guys.”

Netflix announced the cancellation in September, but reassured fans that there would hopefully be ways to continue the series’ story in another medium.

“We can confirm that there will not be an additional season of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” Netflix’s statement read at the time. “We know We know fans are eager to learn how this chapter of The Dark Crystal saga concludes and we’ll look for ways to tell that story in the future. Our company has a legacy of creating rich and complex worlds that require technical innovation, artistic excellence, and masterful storytelling. Our history also includes productions that are enduring, often finding and growing their audience over time and proving again and again that fantasy and science fiction genres reflect eternal messages and truths that are always relevant. We are so grateful to Netflix for trusting us to realize this ambitious series; we are deeply proud of our work on Age of Resistance, and the acclaim it has received from fans, critics and our peers, most recently receiving an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Program.”

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance followed the adventures of three young Gelfling — Rian, Brea, and Deet — as they go on a journey together to discover the secret behind the Skeksis’ rise to power. The series was directed by Louis Leterrier and featured a star-packed voice cast featuring Kingsman star Taron Egerton, Split and Glass standout Anya Taylor-Joy, and Game of Thrones alum Nathalie Emmanuel portraying the three main characters. The trio is joined by Mark Hamill, Andy Samberg, Caitriona Balfe, Helena Bonham-Carter, Harris Dickinson, Eddie Izzard, Theo James, Toby Jones, Shazad Latif, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alicia Vikander, Harvey Fierstein, Ralph Ineson, Keegan-Michael Key, Olafur Darri Olafsson, Simon Pegg, and Donna Kimball.