Jim Henson’s ‘The Storyteller’ Reboot In The Works From Neil Gaiman

After a 30-year hiatus, it appears The Storyteller is eyeing a return to television. First debuting in May 1987, a revival of the anthology series is being put together again by Neil Gaiman (American Gods) and Fremantle in association with The Jim Henson Company.

In a report from Deadline, Gaiman and company are looking to revive the show to begin pitching it to networks and streamers in hopes of reaching “the broadest audience possible.” According to Gaiman, this version of The Storyteller will be updated to fit in with a binging model.

“Part of what fascinates me about The Storyteller is the stuff that we don’t know,” Gaiman said. “Who was the Storyteller, why was he telling these stories, was he a goblin, what kind of creature? What I’d love to do is an inside story that’s as long as the outside story. We’re going to find out a lot about who the storyteller is, we’re going to find out things we don’t even know that we don’t know.”

“We’re going to begin in a Northern kingdom where stories are forbidden and where the act of telling a story is liable and can get you imprisoned or executed,” the writer continues. “If you put a storyteller into that situation, things would need to start getting interactive.”

The report says Gaiman is set to serve as writer and executive producer behind the show. Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company is on board as an executive producer while Fremantle’s Blanca Lista will get co-EP credits. Henson herself says Gaiman is the ideal person to carry on her father’s legacy through the show.

“The Storyteller has always been a special project for me, having worked so closely with my dad on the original concept,” the executive said. “Neil Gaiman is an expert in traditional folklore and mythology, in addition to himself being the modern ‘storyteller’ for our times. I feel like if Neil were an actor, he’d have to play (the Storyteller) because he embodies what the storyteller is, a skillful wordsmith who can entertain people with the power of the story itself, and not to mention he also memorizes it all in his head.”

Gaiman has dived into television over the past few years, involving himself with the second season of American Gods in addition to showrunning a live-action Good Omens limited series on Amazon Prime.

Are you excited for the potential return of The Storyteller? What story was your favorite in the original show? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!