Summary

• Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick are teaming up for a companion movie to Coraline called The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
• Rather than a Coraline 2 sequel, this new project will focus on a different story with a dark fantasy and magical elements.
• The decision not to force a sequel for Coraline shows a commitment to maintaining creative integrity and exploring fresh ideas.

One newly-announced movie isn't the Coraline sequel I expected, but I'll take it, especially if Henry Selick and Neil Gaiman are involved. Coraline (2009) is a film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's YA horror novella of the same title. The dark fantasy tale tells the story of a young girl who moves to a new home and, neglected by her parents, finds a door in the wall that leads to a fantastical alternate reality. Inside, Coraline finds her "Other Mother" and "Other Father," who give her everything her busy parents cannot, but it all too soon comes with a dark twist.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). I can't wait to see what they come up with, because if Neil Gaiman and Henry Selick are making a comeback after 15 years, I'm sure they have something unique to offer.

Coraline Is Getting A Companion Movie With The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

Gaiman Is Opting For A Coraline Companion Movie Over A Coraline 2 Sequel

Rather than delivering a The Ocean at the End of the Lane. The film will be another adaptation of one of Gaiman's novels, a coming-of-age novel about an artist who returns to his home in Sussex, England, and is suddenly consumed with memories of a magical entanglement from his past. In an interview with Variety, Selick described the project as a contrast to what he and Gaiman accomplished with Coraline: "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."

Why Henry Selick & Neil Gaiman's Reunion Is Just As Exciting As Coraline 2

Gaiman Was Right Not To Force Coraline 2

Henry Selick and Neil Gaiman's reunion for The Ocean at the End of the Lane is just as exciting as a Coraline sequel. In fact, I'm more excited to see them go in this direction than Coraline 2. Previously, Gaiman has said that Coraline 2 wouldn't happen until he had a better idea for a sequel, so I'm glad the author didn't force the continuation of a story where he didn't feel inspired to tell one. It could have compromised all that made Coraline great, and it already stands alone as a cult classic in its own right.

Not wanting to hinder Coraline's success with a sequel was echoed by Travis Knight, the president and CEO of LAIKA, the animation studio behind the 2009 adaptation. Knight explained in an interview with Collider that he was firmly against producing sequels, including Coraline 2, believing that too many reboots and remakes were produced and wanting to focus on fresh ideas. The sentiment reinforces what Gaiman has said about protecting Coraline's creative integrity. Selick suggested that the studio ShadowMachine may be interested in the new project. The studio has a record of producing fantastical horror greats, like Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio.

I'm excited that Gaiman is adapting one of his other stories rather than forcing a sequel for Coraline. It's just as exciting as Coraline 2 because the author is at his best when he's energized by what he's working on. Gaiman has witnessed many of his works become big- and small-screen adaptations, with the author typically having a firm hand in production. While adaptations have sometimes contrasted Gaiman's vision, it's clear from Coraline's success that the author and director will work in unison to hone Gaiman's vision to produce The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane was originally published on June 18, 2013. The novel tells a coming-of-age story within a mixture of the dark fantasy, horror, and magical realism literature genres.

Source: Variety, Collider