Coraline Director Has Disappointing Update on Planned Neil Gaiman Adaptation

As a longtime fan of Henry Selick’s enchanting and thought-provoking animations, I find myself both excited and apprehensive about the current state of his latest project, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman‘s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.” Selick’s unique ability to breathe life into fantastical stories, as demonstrated in classics like “Coraline” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” has always left me spellbound.

Approximately two months following Henry Selick’s announcement about adapting Neil Gaiman’s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” into a film, Selick has expressed some uncertainty about the project’s future. Initially, Selick had expressed his intention to make it his next film if he could secure studio support. However, recent accusations of abuse against Gaiman may have hindered any attempts to find backing for this project. In June, Selick had been presenting a 35-page treatment and numerous concept art pieces to various studios.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas hinted at ShadowMachine (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio) and Laika Studios as strong contenders for future projects. However, he also mentioned that prospects don’t seem too favorable at this time.

Selick mentioned that it’s something he cherishes deeply and has played around with it for quite some time. It’s nearly coalesced on several occasions. He can only hope that it may yet come together, but he doesn’t have any specific forecasts about it.

Based on a recent update, Selick intends to revisit “The Shadow King,” a project he worked on and off for years. Although he has some finished footage from his Pixar days, his latest strategy seems to be creating a graphic novel first, with the aim of selling it as an adaptation afterward.

Originally published in 2013, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” revolves around a man’s return to his old hometown after many years, prompted by a funeral. As he navigates his old surroundings, he reminisces about his childhood and the extraordinary tales spun by a local girl who claimed the pond behind her house was actually an ocean. The journey back home stirs up a wave of long-forgotten or suppressed memories.

Selick also commented that he views the movie as being nearly a continuation of Coraline, and he strongly feels that The Ocean at the End of the Lane represents some of Gaiman’s finest literary work.

Instead of the scenario where a child travels to another world accompanied by a fearsome mother, let’s consider a situation where the fearsome mother from another realm intrudes upon our world and disrupts a child’s life instead.

Currently, Neil Gaiman has two adaptations based on his Vertigo comic books – “Dead Boy Detectives” and “The Sandman” – airing on Netflix. Meanwhile, “Good Omens,” an adaptation of a book co-written by Gaiman with Terry Pratchett, is streaming on Prime Video.

2024-08-14 22:40

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