NeverEnding Story Reboot - Will It Ever Happen?
"The NeverEnding Story" is a 1984 fantasy film based on an earlier novel by German author Michael Ende. Starring Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, and Patricia Hayes among many others, the film follows a young boy who discovers a magical book after hiding from bullies in a bookstore. The book depicts a mystical world known as Fantasia that is under attack by an entity known as The Nothing. This malevolent force will overcome the land and destroy everything within it if the young warrior tasked with stopping it should fail.
Although it was far from a huge success when it was first released, "The NeverEnding Story" grew to become a cult hit and has remained popular in the decades following its launch, thanks to its dark tone, bizarre imagery, and nostalgia value. Of course, this — and the fact that remaking classic movies is all the rage in Hollywood – has led to talk about a potential reboot. Sadly for fans of the original film, there's been a lot of talk but very little concrete news regarding a new version of "The NeverEnding Story." Does that mean the reboot will never happen? Here's what we know.
Why isn't a reboot of The NeverEnding Story happening yet?
The success of fantasy film franchises such as "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" has made established properties in the same genre far more valuable. As such, it makes sense that there have been discussions about bringing "The NeverEnding Story" into the modern age with a potential remake, especially considering that the film is so beloved by fans. Yet, a reboot has never actually entered production — although it's not for a lack of trying.
In 2009, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Warner Bros. had teamed up with Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions and Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall's The Kennedy/Marshall Company to reboot "The NeverEnding Story." Described as being in the early stages of development by the outlet, discussions apparently began in earnest after Warner Bros. acquired the rights. The project would involve Jesse Ehrman, Sarah Schechter, and Dieter Geissler as producers, with the latter having worked on the original film in 1984.
It was said that the plan was to make a more faithful adaptation that included elements of the original novel that were not shown in the previous film. The report was great news for those eagerly awaiting an updated take on Ende's book, though sources were keen to point out that the project was in the preliminary planning phase with no writers or actors attached.
Legal issues and an underperforming fantasy genre put a stop to the reboot
Despite the fact that Warner Bros. purchased the rights to the original novel and had the backing of some big Hollywood names, its planned reboot of "The NeverEnding Story" never happened. The 2009 project was quietly shelved without any official announcement confirming that the studio would not be moving ahead with the remake. However, producer Kathleen Kennedy did shed some light on the situation in an interview with IndieWire, explaining that legal issues surrounding the rights had been a major problem.
"Nothing's ever been able to be resolved with the rights, unfortunately," she said. "It's very, very complicated with Warner Bros., and other books that have been written with similar characters. It's too bad, because there's an opportunity with that book because it's so beautifully written, but I guess it's not meant to be."
Exactly what those rights issues are was never fully explained, although Kennedy did seem to suggest that the similarity of the story with other series — such as the "Inkheart" franchise — may have been part of the problem. The fact that fantasy films weren't exactly guaranteed wins at the time ("Where the Wild Things Are" barely clawed back its budget and the first installment in the ill-fated "Percy Jackson" film series was getting hammered by fans and critics) likely led to a gradual cooling of interest.
What the cast and crew has said about a NeverEnding Story reboot
The cast and crew of the original film adaptation of "The NeverEnding Story" have largely stayed out of discussions about a potential reboot. However, three of those who worked on the original did give their views about the possibility of a remake when they sat down with Entertainment Weekly on the movie's 35th anniversary in 2019.
Director Wolfgang Petersen explained that a reboot might not happen due to rights issues, stating that he knew of legal action between different parties, including author Michael Ende's estate. He went on to argue that the film is such a classic that it doesn't need to be rebooted. "It is my understanding that some films you should leave alone, and that's how I feel about this film," Petersen said. "I like the way the film is, with all its old fashion charm — just leave it alone."
Falkor voice actor Alan Oppenheimer agreed with the director, saying, "I think they need to leave it alone; it doesn't need a remake." However, in the same interview, Tami Stronach (who played the Childlike Empress in the original) was more positive about the idea. She said that it "could be wonderful to remake it," but acknowledged that the situation with the rights made a reboot unlikely. "I think what we have to do is reach for the message of the film and support others making really incredible fantasy films," she added. "That's what the movie is about, not having a monopoly with only a few people being part of the imaginative sphere."
What could be explored in a NeverEnding Story reboot?
Despite its young target audience, "The NeverEnding Story" is not necessarily an easy film to follow in terms of its narrative. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the film deviates significantly from the original novel by Michael Ende. The most obvious example is that the film only covers events from the first half of the book, with Bastian naming the Childlike Empress "Moon Child" and restoring Fantasia acting as the finale to the tale. However, that is not the case in the book, where Bastian is given the ability to make wishes come true in Fantasia and explores the land while forgetting his memories of the real world.
Certain individuals also have very different physical characteristics in the book compared to the movie. Take Bastian, for example: He wears glasses in the novel and is described as overweight, neither of which is the case in the film. Atreyu also has green skin in the novel, and the horse Artax can speak. The overarching antagonists from the book (a mysterious collection of beings known only as The Manipulators) are entirely missing, meaning the true purpose of The Nothing is watered down. Finally, Bastian takes far longer to understand his role in saving Fantasia in the book, something which happens fairly quickly in the movie.
Who would star in a NeverEnding Story reboot?
If there was a reboot of "The NeverEnding Story," it would likely involve a brand new cast. Sadly, many of those who were involved in the original production have since passed away. This includes Moses Gunn (Cairon), Patricia Hayes (Urgl), Sydney Bromley (Engywook), and Thomas Hill, who played bookstore owner Carl Conrad Coreander. That obviously means that those characters would have to be replaced, although few people from the 1984 movie would be able to portray the same characters, given that it was released almost 40 years ago.
Of course, the actors who played the young characters of Bastian (Barret Oliver), Atreyu (Noah Hathaway), and the Childlike Empress (Tami Stronach) could all appear in some way, possibly portraying new characters. Voice actor Alan Oppenheimer, who voiced Falkor, could also return as his age is not necessarily a barrier to performing as a figure created via special effects.
As for the rest of the cast, there are endless possibilities over who could be included. The property is a favorite among fan casters, who love to discuss which actors they would hire to star in a reboot of "The NeverEnding Story." Popular suggestions include Christopher Lloyd as the owner of the bookstore and Vin Diesel voicing Rock Biter.
A bidding war for the rights reportedly took place in 2022
In 2022, reports that a bidding war was taking place over the film and television rights for "The NeverEnding Story" emerged. Deadline sources indicated that it was being lined up as a potential new fantasy franchise, with executives at several studios reportedly suggesting that the rights were in high demand. While the German agency AVA — which represents the estate of Michael Ende and controls the rights to the original novel — didn't confirm or deny the reports, insiders say that multiple movie studios are interested in pursuing the project and have made multi-million dollar offers to try and secure the rights.
One potential problem is that the estate wants to have far more control over the story this time around, although they are said to be open to the possibility of rebooting the film franchise. This has spurred on streaming, movie, and television companies to try and secure the rights and move forward with a big money remake. Rumors have even suggested that Disney may have already acquired the rights and is currently in the early stages of production, although there's been no confirmation from the House of Mouse at this time.
Author Michael Ende hated the original film adaptation
The situation with the rights to the original novel could well be complicated by the fact that author Michael Ende was not the biggest fan of the film. According to director Wolfgang Petersen, Ende was initially involved in writing the script with him but found the process difficult. "The story was sacred to him and you cannot change that," Petersen told Entertainment Weekly. "So, while I was trying to work with him on the script, it was difficult to make any changes."
Ende seemingly disliked the fact that so much of the novel had to be either altered or cut for the big screen. The author was furious with the end result, with People reporting that he said around the time of the release: "The makers of the film simply did not understand the book at all. They just wanted to make money." In fact, the disagreement was so fierce that Ende fought to have his name removed from the credits to disassociate himself from what he called "that revolting movie."
According to The Independent, the author had a particular hatred for the Sphinxes — the gatekeepers that Atreyu must pass — because of the fact that they have a nude appearance. "The Sphinxes are quite one of the biggest embarrassments of the film," the British newspaper quotes Ende as saying. "They are full-bosomed strippers who sit there in the desert." Knowing how much Ende hated the film, it's easy to understand why his estate wants to negotiate a certain level of creative control over the reboot.
Two subpar sequels have already been released
What many fans may not realize is that "The NeverEnding Story" was not the end of the film series. It was followed up by two sequels over the course of the next decade, although both of these releases failed to capture the success of the original. Each had limited involvement from the cast and crew of the 1984 film, with only producer Dieter Geissler being present across all three movies.
1990's "The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter" is essentially a direct continuation of the story from the first film and uses many of the ideas from the second half of the original novel that were left out. Characters such as Bastian, Atreyu, the Childlike Empress, Falkor, and Rock Biter all return, although they are portrayed by new actors. It was a critical and commercial failure upon release, although it did have some success in Germany due to the popularity of the novel.
Four years later, "The NeverEnding Story III: Escape from Fantasia" arrived in cinemas and suffered much the same fate as the first sequel. Helmed by Peter MacDonald (best known for his work as a second unit director on fantasy films such as "Labyrinth," "Eragon," "The Golden Compass," and several "Harry Potter" installments), the movie was panned and widely criticized for telling a brand new story not from the source material. The only notable element of the film is that it includes a young Jack Black in one of his earliest roles, playing a bully who picks on Bastian.
HBO made a show based on the book in the early 2000s
What fans of the film may not know is that "The NeverEnding Story" has also been adapted for the small screen, and by HBO, no less. Released in the early 2000s, "Tales from the Neverending Story" is only very loosely based on the original book, making some significant changes to both the story and the characters. In addition to introducing new supporting figures, such as Bastian's friends Lucas and Marley, it also sees Atreyu enter the real world and certain events swapped around so that they happen out of order.
Only a single season of the television series was made. It aired as four movie-length releases in the United States, and 13 smaller episodes in the United Kingdom. It currently holds a 44% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes based on more than 2,500 reviews and has largely been forgotten about due to its limited release and lack of success — as well as the fact it looks very different to the earlier movies.
However, that's not to say the material isn't suited to the small screen. In fact, with a world as wide and wonderful as the one created by Michael Ende, a series could well be the perfect route for a reboot. With more and more fantasy tales coming to streaming ("Willow," "The Witcher," "The Wheel of Time," and "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" being just a few examples), Ende's estate might see this as the ideal option.
The reboot could incorporate material from six additional novels
Any new reboot wouldn't just have to rely on Michael Ende's original novel from 1979: There has been a lot of extra material released over the years that could be used to add extra storylines and content, especially for a television series adaptation that could potentially last multiple seasons. There were six novels set within the universe of "The NeverEnding Story" released between 2003 and 2004. The "Legends of Fantastica" series includes books written by the likes of noted German fantasy author Ralf Isau and the physicist Peter Freund.
The newer novels all contain characters and locations that will be familiar to fans of the franchise, but they tell completely new stories that have not been explored on-screen. This includes "The Secret Library of Thaddäus Tillmann Trutz," which acts as a prequel and features a younger version of the bookstore owner. Although these novels are not as well known as Michael Ende's initial story, they do offer a different perspective on Fantasia that could make for a more compelling or expansive screen adaptation.
The NeverEnding Story is still present in popular culture
With "The NeverEnding Story" establishing itself as a cult hit over the last 40 years, the popularity of the film has remained at a somewhat constant level. It has been referenced in episodes of hit television shows, including "The Simpsons." In the Season 4 episode "New Kid on the Block," unscrupulous lawyer Lionel Hutz (Phil Hartman) claims to have sued the makers of the film for false advertising.
Meanwhile, several musicians have referenced the film. There's the band Atreyu (named after the character from the book and film) and fellow rockers Korn, who named an album after the malevolent force known as The Nothing. The band's singer Jonathan Davis, who is a big fan of the movie, explained that following the death of his wife he had a darkness hanging over him. "I was struggling with the thing that's chasing me — that's always freaking with me," Davis said to Kerrang. "I tried to give it a name and it just fit."
More recently, "The NeverEnding Story" was introduced to a whole new audience when the iconic song from the film was included in a Season 3 episode of "Stranger Things" on Netflix. The moment sees Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and his girlfriend Suzie Bingham (Gabriella Pizzolo) sing the song together in a touching rendition that sparked new interest in the track and the movie.