It’s not far-fetched at all to say that “Coraline” is one of the most influential movies in all horror cinema. Striking the perfect balance between a family film and a scary picture, it introduced many die-hard fans of the genre to big-screen scares and spooks.
The 2009 stop-motion animated flick continues to be hard to watch. It gradually descends into the eerie Other World, where Coraline discovers something worse than her parents: an evil doppelgänger version of them with buttons for eyes, hiding a deadly pile of secrets.
In the recent surge of interest, fueled by the title’s return to theaters in August with a brand new 3D remaster, Henry Selick, its director, announced his upcoming project and explained its connection to “Coraline.” Here are all the details.
Will ‘Coraline 2’ ever happen? Henry Selick answered
At the Annecy Animation Festival, Henry Selick announced plans to create a stop-motion animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 201 novel “The Ocean at the End of the Lane,” marking their third collaboration after “Coraline” and “Wendell & Wild.”
This piece of literature shares significant similarities with the 2009 hit. It revolves around a middle-aged man who returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral, only to remember the frightening and eerie experiences from his past that he had forgotten.
Like “Coraline,” this story reflects on childhood fears. It’s not surprising that Selick has labeled it as a spiritual sequel to his horror movie, or more accurately, a companion piece exploring similar themes. As he explained:
“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 project is currently seeking a production and distribution company, with reports indicating that Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” studio, ShadowMachine, is interested.
While it’s not the “Coraline” sequel fans have been anticipating for over a decade, this upcoming film promises to be an intriguing addition to Henry Selick’s body of work, likely to be rewatched endlessly by his fans.
