The author of Coraline has stated that there is no sequel on the horizon, although he’s not entirely opposed to one. Coraline began as a novella that was then adapted into an animated film in 2009. The cult film was written and directed by Henry Selick and featured the voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Keith David, and more.
The original dark fantasy novella was written by legendary children’s author, Neil Gaiman, and published in 2002. The the award-winning children’s book follows a young girl named Coraline, who leaves her town and moves into a new home that contains a portal to an alternate world that, on its face, seems like everything Coraline has ever wanted, but underneath contains an insidious presence that tries to keep her from returning home. The chilling yet captivating novella was then turned into a hit stop-motion animated film. Hailed by critics and beloved by audiences, the dark fantasy children’s film now stands as the third highest-grossing stop-motion animated film domestically. Coraline was seen as incredibly innovative, taking Tim Burton’s knack for creepy children’s animation and twisting it to a new level of darkness. However, with all of the film and novella’s , a sequel has yet to emerge.
Responding to a fan on Twitter, Gaiman has stated that he has zero plans to write another Coraline. Though, this is not because he’s opposed to the idea, but because he has not found a story that is worth continuing the tale. Check out the author's tweet below:
However, Coraline itself is an amalgamation of Gaiman’s own story and other folktales, such as The New Mother which was retold as The Pear Drum. Additionally, some fans believe that the entire story is a giant metaphor for a child experiencing domestic abuse. Those audiences may not want a sequel. Although the origins and true meanings behind the story are often discussed and debated, what’s true is that Coraline has left a mark on many people.
It is refreshing to see, during an era where reboots and revivals are so common, that Neil Gaiman is keeping intentionality and innovation as his priority. Although audiences would be delighted at the news of a Coraline sequel, it is good to know that the story is in good hands, with someone who cares about the integrity of the story and not simply making money or putting out consistent content. Hopefully, an enticing enough story does come along that lets audiences revisit The Other World again (actually…maybe they should rethink this). Until then, the cult classic remains the only boundary pushing one of its kind.
Source: Neil Gaiman
