New Collectibles • 9/24 - Jim Henson: The Biography Book and Jim Henson: The Biography Audio CD • 9/10 - Down at Fraggle Rock: Lost Treasures from the Jim Henson Archives Book • 6/11 - Fraggle Rock: The Complete Fourth Season DVD • 5/14 - Fraggle Rock: 30th Anniversary Collection DVD, Fraggle Rock: Meet The Fraggles DVD, Fraggle Rock: The Complete Third Season DVD and Tales of a Sixth-Grade Muppet: Where No Muppet Has Gone Before Book • 5/7 - Elmo the Musical DVD • 4/16 - Fraggle Rock: The Complete Second Season DVD • 4/2 - Sid the Science Kid: The Movie DVD • 3/12 - Fraggle Rock: The Complete First Season DVD
	Join the Muppet Central Mailing List

Brian Henson will direct Jack for CBS

Courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop
October 10, 2000

Brian Henson has signed to make his TV miniseries directing debut with "Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story'' for CBS.

The four-hour sweeps event will offer a nontraditional twist on the classic fairy tale, making extensive use of the Jim Henson Co.'s Creature Shop to bring to life the land of giants. Henson is chairman of Jim Henson Co., which was recently acquired by EM.TV & Merchandising AG of Munich.

Production is slated to start in London within the next two months. "Jack'' is being targeted for broadcast as early as May, though CBS has yet to lock in an airdate.

Henson has directed numerous series episodes, as well as the feature pictures "Muppet Treasure Island'' and "The Muppet Christmas Carol.''

He has always been attached as an executive producer of the mini, but came on board as director as scribe-exec producer James V. Hart ("Contact'') neared completion of the script.

"During the whole development process, I kept being most enthusiastic'' about "Jack,'' Henson told Daily Variety. "I finally said, 'You know, I think I'll do this one.'''

Henson said the new "Jack'' will offer a 21st century take on the fairy tale, examining Jack's theft of the goose that laid the golden eggs from the point of view of the giant and his brood.

The story will be set in the present, with one of Jack's descendants - a European version of Bill Gates -- finding himself on trial for his ancestor's "crimes'' against the giant community. Even the visual feel of the mini will differ from what most people associate with "Jack and the Beanstalk.''

"I don't want it to look like what you thought it would look like,'' Henson said.

Most recently, Henson served as executive producer and director of the Sci Fi Channel series "Farscape.''