‘The Neverending Story’ To Be Adapted As Series Of Live-Action Films From See-Saw & Michael Ende Productions

Nancy Tartaglione
·3-min read

Children’s fantasy classic The Neverending Story is headed for a big screen reboot via a series of live-action features to be developed and produced by Michael Ende Productions and Oscar-winning See-Saw Films. The partners were granted the rights to Ende’s enduring novel by the author’s executor, Wolf-Dieter von Gronau.

First published in 1979, The NeverEnding Story was a huge hit in Germany, remaining on the bestseller list for years. It went on to be translated into 45 languages and has sold millions of copies worldwide. It also spawned films including the Wolfgang Peterson co-written and directed 1984 cult fantasy, as well as TV series, video games, pop songs, spinoff novels and stage plays. Deadline previously reported that streamers and studios, on both sides of the Atlantic, were chasing screen rights to revive the beloved property.

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The Neverending Story begins in an old bookstore, where a young Bastian Balthasar Bux discovers the mysterious eponymous book. Instantly hooked, he reads about the heroic Atréyu and his dangerous mission to save the realm of Fantastica and its ruler, the Childlike Empress, from being erased by The Nothing, a force of total oblivion. Bastian soon realizes that he is more than an uninvolved spectator and ultimately finds himself transported into Fantastica. On his many adventures, he must find his way back out of Fantastica, back to the people he loves and back to himself. But how do you leave a world without borders?

The films will be produced by Iain Canning and Emile Sherman for See-Saw and Roman Hocke and Ralph Gassmann for Michael Ende Productions. Michael Ende Productions and See-Saw will work with Lorenzo De Maio, who will be an executive producer on the films, along with Wolf-Dieter Von Gronau, and See-Saw’s Simon Gillis and Helen Gregory.

Canning and Sherman commented, “The Neverending Story is a beloved book that has captured the imagination of generations of fans all over the world. Bringing literary worlds to screen is part of See-Saw’s DNA, and we are passionate about cinematic storytelling and entertaining audiences. We have such love for the book and are honored to be working with Michael Ende Productions on this collaboration to bring audiences back to Fantastica.”

Hocke added, “The Neverending Story is more than just a story. It is THE story of all stories, because it tells us, alongside the breathtaking journey of Atréju and Bastian in a fantasy world, the real reason why stories play such an important role in our lives that we want to internalize them in all shapes and forms throughout our lives. Without stories, there would be no individuality, no personalities, no sense of meaning in the world. We want to transform this unique story into a great cinematic work of art for a wide audience. We feel lucky to have See-Saw Films by our side for this great task!”

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