The Jim Henson Co. has set animated series creator Genndy Tartakovsky ("Samurai Jack", "Star Wars: The Clones Wars") to direct "Power of the Dark Crystal," sequel to 1982 fantasy film "The Dark Crystal" reports Variety.

Tartakovsky's Orphanage Animation Studios will take the lead on the CG animation elements for the puppet-driven film. Brian Froud has returned to design the new characters.

Set hundreds of years after the first pic, sequel follows a mysterious girl made of fire who steals a shard of the crystal in hopes of reigniting the dying sun.Annette Duffy and David Odell penned the script.

The puppets this time around will operate amid a CGI backdrop. Henson will secure a domestic distributor by the time the film begins production in late summer.