Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick Team Up Again for a Movie Like Coraline, But Not a Sequel

Reuniting with Neil Gaiman for a cinematic version of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which he characterizes as "almost a sequel" to their 2008 blockbuster Coraline, is director Henry Selick.

Coraline is a 2009 stop-motion animated film directed by Selick and written by Gaiman. It is based on the fantasy novel of the same that Neil Gaiman published in 2002. With overwhelmingly favorable reviews, the movie led to Selick's Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.

Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, Jennifer Saunders, Ian McShane, Dawn French, and Keith David were among the film's prominent voice cast members.

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Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick's upcoming collab

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (Image via Amazon)

Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick will now work together once more on a Coraline companion movie. The Ocean at the End of the Lane published by Neil Gaiman in 2013 will be adapted for the big screen by this duo.

Selick praised the ambition of the original novel and called the movie "almost a sequel" to Coraline. The filmmaker alluded to potential interest from ShadowMachine, the production company behind the film Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. With a 35-page screenplay and extensive concept art, he aimed to attract attention from actors such as those involved with Laika's ParaNorman.

According to Selick, Coraline, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane share a theme even if they are not connected narratively. While talking about the adaptation, Selick told Variety,

"Instead of a child going to this other world with a monstrous mother, it’s a monstrous mother who comes into our world to wreak havoc on a kid’s life."

The announcement of Coraline's 3D theater re-release, which will honor the critically acclaimed dark fantasy movie's 15th anniversary and give moviegoers another opportunity to see it on the big screen in August, coincides with the news. Laika's David Burke has also commented saying,

"This newly remastered version, in the works for three years, brings Neil Gaiman's enchanting story to life in stunning, stereoscopic 3D detail, and is a love letter to Laika fans everywhere."

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About The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Image via Amazon)

Neil Gaiman's 2013 novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, is a coming-of-age tale. In it, an unidentified man attends a funeral in his hometown and progressively begins to remember things from thirty years prior. One of those recollections centers on Lettie Hempstock, a small child who was his childhood neighbor and with whom he went on trips in search of ghosts and other things.

Similar to Coraline, The Ocean at the End of the Lane explores themes of childhood and the changes brought on by puberty. The children's movie Coraline brought the dark fantasy horror novel to life. It alternated between the terrifying aspects of the Other Father and Mother and their appeal.

With his capacity for both creativity and authenticity, Selick will be a suitable director to take on the universe of The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Selick's Ocean at the End of the Lane adaption reportedly already has a 35-page treatment, complete with concept art, according to the project release.

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Overview of Coraline

In Neil Gaiman's Coraline, a girl named Coraline played by Dakota Fanning finds a secret door while exploring her new home. Behind it is a world that is similar to her own but superior in many respects.

She celebrates her finding, but her parallel family, including her Other Mother who is played by Teri Hatcher, tries to keep her there indefinitely. To return to her own family and life, Coraline will need to muster all of her courage and resources.

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Coraline is available to rent and watch on YouTube. Stay tuned for more updates on The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.