Turn around, and look at what you see - it’s another adaptation ofThe Neverending Story.German authorMichael Ende’s 1979 fantasy novel is being adapted into a series of films by See-Saw Films, the makers ofSlow Horses. Variety reports that See-Saw acquired the rights from Ende’s estate after a competitive bidding process for the rights to the book, which was famously adapted into a classic fantasy film in 1984 byWolfgang Petersen.
Ralph Gassmanof Michael Ende Productions notes that interest in anew adaptationof Neverending Story had ramped up in recent years, but they wanted to be patient, given the iconic nature of the original film; thus, “it was only about four to five years ago when we felt it was right to go back to Fantastica with new, fresher attention. So then we looked at hundreds and hundreds of requests and just thought, let’s see if we find a potential partner amongst them that is so compelling that they make us jump into the boat with them and go on this crazy adventure.” See-Saw has a reputation for literary adaptations; in addition to Slow Horses, their notable book-to-screen adaptations includeThe Power of the Dog,Lion, and The Stranger.
What is ‘The Neverending Story’?
The Neverending Storyfeatures a dual narrative - the mundane life of bookish outcast Bastian, and the fantastical world of Fantastica, in which the heroic Atreyu strives to save all of reality from the endless oblivion of The Nothing. The book was a hit in its native Germany and worldwide; it has been translated into 36 languages, and has sold over eight million copies. However, its popularity has been eclipsed in the English-speaking world by that of its 1984 film adaptation, which only adapts the first half of the book. Famed for its innovative practical special effects, the heart-wrenching fate of Atreyu’s horse, and the immortal title theme byLimahl- and a little help fromSteven Spielberg- the movie was a modest success at the box office but has become an enduring classic. It spawned two sequels;The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapteradapted the second half of the book, whileThe Neverending Story IIIfollows a new storyline. Neither achieved the success of the first film, nor did a short-lived Canadian animated series.
The newNeverending Storyseries will be produced byIain CanningandEmile Shermanfor See-Saw, withRoman Hockeand Gassmann for Michael Ende Productions.Lorenzo De Maio, See-Saw’s CEOSimon Gillisand creative directorHelen Gregory,and Ende’s executorWolf-Dieter von Gronauwill executive produce.
See-Saw Films is set to produce a new series of films adaptingThe Neverending Story; no release date or distributor has yet been set.
