Originally a book series from the late '70s, The NeverEnding Story gained widespread recognition through Wolfgang Peterson's iconic film trilogy in the '80s and '90s. Now, a production company is taking on the task of revitalizing these beloved stories for today's audiences.
See-Saw Films, known for acclaimed productions such as Widows and The King's Speech, have made an exciting announcement in partnership with Michael Ende Productions. As they declared on Twitter/X, they're planning to develop a series of new live-action adaptations based on Michael Ende's timeless fantasy series, The NeverEnding Story. Let's just hope it's better received than the recent live-action Moana...
Today we are unbelievably excited to announce that See-Saw Films is going into partnership with Michael Ende Productions to develop and produce live action films adapted from Michael Ende's The Neverending Story! pic.twitter.com/76mEUp237W
— See-Saw Films (@see_saw_films) March 20, 2024
NeverEnding Story: A Reimagined Journey Into Fantastica
Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw are leading the creative effort, along with Roman Hocke and Ralph Gassmann of Michael Ende Productions. In an interview with Variety, Canning emphasized the timeless relevance of the story and envisions a reimagining that will resonate across generations:
"The story is both timely and timeless, and really has an opportunity to be told in a fresh way, and part of the specialness of the book is that you can go back to it at different ages in your life and find different levels of meaning. So how wonderful that we have this opportunity to do a fresh perspective that will have new layers and meanings. We just believe that every generation deserves their own journey into Fantastica."
Gassmann echoes the sentiment, revealing a long-standing interest in adapting The NeverEnding Story across multiple entertainment platforms. Working with See-Saw represents a strategic alliance that ensures a faithful yet innovative approach to this cherished literary universe.
Details about the production - such as the exact number of films to be made, the cast, or a release date - will depend on the creatives assembled, says Canning.