The NeverEnding Story is being considered by multiple studios and streamers as the next big fantasy IP adaptation
With fans flocking to HBO’s House of the Dragon and Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, studios and streamers are scrambling to find the next big fantasy adaptation…which might just be The NeverEnding Story.
The novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende was first published in German in 1979, with the first English language version appearing in 1983, a year before the 1984 film directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
A number of studios and streamers are currently chasing the rights to the project, with Deadline reporting that multi-million dollar deals are already on the table.
Next up: With fans flocking to HBO’s House of the Dragon and Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, studios and streamers are scrambling to find the next big fantasy adaptation…which might just be The NeverEnding Story
The German agency AVA represents the rights to the franchise, but did not comment on these developments.
The novel focuses on an overweight boy named Bastian Balthasar Bux, who is neglected by his father after the death of his mother.
He becomes the victim of relentless bullying, and one day, while escaping his bullies, he flees to a Carl Conrad Coreander bookstore, where he finds the magical text entitled The Neverending Story.
Rights: The German agency AVA represents the rights to the franchise, but did not comment on these developments
The boy steals the book and reads it while hiding from the thugs in his school’s attic, where he escapes into the world of Fantastica.
The book topped the Spiegel bestseller lists in West Germany for a whopping 113 weeks, staying on the list for a total of 332 weeks.
The 1984 film was famed German director Wolfgang Petersen’s first English-language film, although it only covered the first half of the book.
Best Seller: The book topped the Spiegel bestseller lists in West Germany for a whopping 113 weeks and stayed on the list for a total of 332 weeks
The film spawned a 1990 sequel, The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, which used the second half of the book, and a 1994 sequel, The NeverEnding Story III, which was not based on the books but featured a young Jack Black.
There have been a number of TV movies and a short-lived TV show based on the book, although there hasn’t been a new IP based on it for nearly two decades.
The film found itself back in the zeitgeist a few years ago when Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) performed the film’s synthesizer theme song.
Sequel: The film spawned a 1990 sequel The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter, which used the second half of the book, and a 1994 sequel, The NeverEnding Story III, which was not based on the books but starred a young Jack Black
Zeitgeist: The film found itself back in the zeitgeist a few years ago when Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) performed the film’s synthesizer theme song
A few years ago, Warner Bros. (which released the 1984 film) tried to secure the rights to a new project with Leonardo DiCaprio’s company Appian Way, but it never materialized.
Now the estate of author Ende, who died in 1995 at the age of 65, is attracting interest from both American and European suitors, although it’s unclear if there is a front runner.
There is currently no creative team assigned to the project.
New Project: A few years ago, Warner Bros. (which released the 1984 film) tried to secure the rights to a new project with Leonardo DiCaprio’s company Appian Way, although it never materialized
Estate: Now the estate of author Ende, who died in 1995 at the age of 65, is attracting interest from both American and European applicants, although it’s unclear if there is a front runner
