Labyrinth at 40: From Box Office Bomb to Cult Classic (Ep. 88)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Tv & Film, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2026

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim and Lauren follow the winding path of Labyrinth as it turns 40, exploring how a film that underperformed in 1986 became one of the most beloved cult classics of the home video era - and how its legacy nearly intertwined with Disney in a much bigger way. In this episode of I Want That Too, we connect the dots between Jim Henson’s ambitious fantasy film, its surprising international success, and the long road that led Disney to acquire the Muppets - but not Labyrinth. Along the way, we look at the massive 40th anniversary merch push and what it says about the power of nostalgia-driven consumer products. NEWS • Disney Consumer Products wins big at North America’s Toy Fair, taking home Doll of the Year for the American Girl Moana collection and Plush Toy of the Year for the interactive Stitch • How upcoming theatrical releases - including The Mandalorian and Grogu, Toy Story 5, Moana (live-action), and Spider-Man: Brand New Day - are shaping Disney’s 2026 merchandise strategy • A new Haunted Mansion wedding venue debuts at Disneyland as Disney Fairy Tale Weddings celebrates its 35th anniversary • Disney unveils a 35th anniversary light-up wedding gown featuring 500 embedded lights and 35 programmable lighting effects • Labyrinth kicks off its 40th anniversary celebration with anniversary screenings, a 60-city concert tour, new collectibles, and specialty footwear collaborations FEATURE • Why Labyrinth struggled at the box office in 1986 despite an A-team creative lineup that included George Lucas and David Bowie • The international box office story that softened the blow - and helped build the film’s cult following • How Labyrinth’s disappointing domestic performance factored into Jim Henson’s decision to sell his company • The original 1989 Disney acquisition deal that would have given the Mouse the entire Henson film library - including Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal • Why the Henson family ultimately retained key IP like Labyrinth, Fraggle Rock, and The Dark Crystal when Disney finalized its Muppets purchase in 2004 • The newly announced Labyrinth sequel in development at TriStar Pictures and what it signals about the brand’s enduring power HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Lauren Hersey - IG: @lauren_hersey_ | X: @laurenhersey2 FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by Unlock Magic. If a Disney or Universal trip is on your radar for 2026, Unlock Magic helps you secure great ticket prices with expert guidance from people who truly know the parks. Visit UnlockedMagic.com to lock in the best deals and make your next trip a little more magical. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to I Want That Too, the podcast where Disney merch meets Disney history.
0:05.4	I'm entertainment writer Jim Hill, and as always, I'm joined by the lovely Lauren Hersey,
0:11.3	who we're going to follow up now on a story from last week's show. Is that correct?
0:17.0	Yes, so we have a ton to talk about today in this episode. But before we get into all of that,
0:24.7	I did want to give our listeners an update on the Bath and Body Works Princess collection.
0:32.6	So we talked about it in depth, so we don't need to like recap that. But I did make it a point this week to actually get to the physical store to see the
0:43.8	spread in person and Jim.
0:46.2	It was like for a, it was a Disney lover's dream.
0:50.6	And I was not the only one that was completely losing it going into the store.
0:56.7	Like, have you been to the mall or anything, like, seen anything about, like, the in-person
1:01.6	displays?
1:02.7	I have not.
1:05.6	It's February in New England.
1:08.0	Lauren, I, you know, I'm either about to shovel, shoveling, or just finish shoveling.
1:14.1	You know, in fact, I'm sitting here waiting for the next snowstorms to start now.
1:18.0	So getting to the mall, it's on my list for April, where in theory, in theory, that the snow will have melted.
1:23.8	And I would imagine there will be all sorts of interesting smells, you know, coming out of the
1:27.8	snowdrifts when that happens. But anyway, back to the Prince's Sense.
1:31.5	Ooh, let's stay with Bath & Body smells. There we go. There we go. There we go.
1:34.9	Smells with you. Okay. So, but when you walk in, at least at my local Bath and Body Works,
1:40.5	there was a giant, like, display front and center with, you know, the castles.
1:46.3	And I'm looking at the picture I took with the little birdies.
	...

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