The 1984 film adaptation of “The NeverEnding Story” has significantly influenced popular culture, which explains why talks of a remake have circulated for many years. The original movie, directed by Wolfgang Petersen, is based on the novel by German author Michael Ende. It tells the intertwined tales of a real-world boy named Bastian Balthazar Bux, portrayed by Barret Oliver, and the seemingly fictional adventure of Atreyu, played by Noah Hathaway. The story kicks off when Bastian discovers a peculiar book in an old bookstore and retreats to an attic to read it, soon finding himself drawn into Fantasia, a magical realm in dire need of saving from an entity called The Nothing.

Rumors of a remake being in development have been circulating since at least 2009, when Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company, Appian Way, attempted to initiate the project. Those plans eventually fell apart; by 2011, it was made public that acquiring the rights to Ende’s novel was too challenging. The remake remained in limbo for over a decade due to these legal entanglements but resurfaced in 2022 during a heated Hollywood competition over the rights to this cherished fantasy series. In March 2024, it was officially announced that Michael Ende Productions had partnered with See-Saw Films to create a brand-new live-action movie based on the author’s renowned book. Here is what we know about it so far.

Following the announcement of this new project, producers emphasized that it would not be a simple remake of the 1984 movie but instead a more faithful adaptation of Michael Ende’s original work. Wolfgang Petersen’s film differed from the book in various aspects, a fact that famously irked Ende. The author was openly critical of the film and demanded that his name be omitted from the credits. During a press event in Germany, he referred to it as “that revolting movie” (cited in People) and expressed his frustration by stating, “The filmmakers simply did not grasp the book at all. Their sole intention was to profit.”

Ende’s biggest beef with the 1984 film was that it deviated too far from his original story, only covering the first half of the book and changing crucial plot points (1990’s “The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter” is based on the second half of the book, while 1994’s “The NeverEnding Story III” is a totally original story). He even attempted to sue the production to have some scenes cut at one stage. This backlash is likely what made it extremely difficult for anyone after that to secure the rights to the novel, despite Ende passing away in 1995.

Staying true to the novel is going to be a big part of the reboot according to See-Saw’s Iain Canning. “The story is both timely and timeless, and really has an opportunity to be told in a fresh way,” the producer told Variety. “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.”

Fans of the book and the original film will be thrilled to know that Michael Ende Productions and See-Saw Films intend to make several “The NeverEnding Story” movies. Of course, sequels will likely be dependent on how well the initial remake does, but the plan is to create a new multi-film franchise. While the two sequels that followed the original “The NeverEnding Story” film in the 1990s are largely seen as money-grabbing afterthoughts, cinema has changed in the decades since, with studios now more interested in IP that can be spun out into several installments over many years. These new films will be released theatrically, though at one stage there was a chance the remake could head to the small screen — several streamers were in the mix when the rights for “The NeverEnding Story” were up for grabs.

“We’ve been completely overwhelmed with interest from the television and film industry in recent years,” Ralph Gassmann of Michael Ende Productions told Variety. “We looked at hundreds and hundreds of requests and just thought, let’s see if we find a potential partner amongst them that is so compelling that they make us jump into the boat with them and go on this crazy adventure. But we knew we had to do it right and find the right partner, and luckily See-Saw was amongst them.” A lot of faith has been placed in See-Saw, which is entering new territory with this project. The company has never handled such a mammoth undertaking, though it does have experience adapting books for the screen, having worked on the likes of “The Power of the Dog,” “Heartstopper,” and “Slow Horses.”

It’s been over a year since news of a new “The NeverEnding Story” film broke, but there’s no confirmed release date yet and no actors are attached to the film. That hasn’t stopped people from speculating about who might be cast in the remake. Fans were quick to throw out ideas as soon as the announcement was made, with names like Morgan Freeman and Christopher Walken being suggested as the voice of Falkor. In terms of the young leads of the movie, Wesley Kimmel (who played Ragnar in “The Mandalorian” and Duncan in Amazon’s festive action movie “Red One”) has been touted for the role of Atreyu, while Alisha Weir (who played the titular characters in the film version of “Matilda: The Musical” and the horror comedy “Abigail”) has been suggested for role of the Childlike Empress.

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt has also been suggested for the Childlike Empress, though she’s likely too old for the role at this point. The daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt has an uncanny resemblance to Tami Stronach, who played the character in the 1984 film. When she spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in 2024, Stronach revealed how she feels about the upcoming remake. “There was a huge bidding war in Hollywood and in markets abroad. I just thought it would never happen,” she said. “I have so many people that I speak with who love ‘The NeverEnding Story,’ who tell me that no one should touch it, that it’s a travesty. But I really don’t agree. The whole point of it is to inspire creativity and to make sure that every person keeps the kid and the dreamer in them alive. Retelling stories feels like a natural extension of that.”

Sadly, not everyone who took part in the original film is still around today. Here’s a list of “The NeverEnding Story” actors who you may not know passed away.