Neil Gaiman's Coraline (1 Viewer)

[James_Kiang]

I've been a fan of Gaiman since his days on Vertigo's Sandman, although I haven't really followed his novels. Anyway, when my wife was looking for a story to read to her 3rd grade class, I recommended Coraline to her just based on his name alone. I've been reading it as well (she's got her class ahead of me by a couple chapters but that will change shortly) and it's quite a good read. I had heard that the director of Nightmare Before Christmas was going to direct a movie adaptation with Michelle Pfeiffer starring. At one time, I heard they were going to shoot in early 2003 for a late 2003 release. Has anyone heard anything about this?

 

[JonZ]

James,
I dont think any new info has come out but I wouldnt hold by breath waiting for this one.
Gaiman has had trouble getting his projects to the screen. Death,Sandman,American Gods and Neverwhere have all been in development for a long time and gone nowhere.

 

[James_Kiang]

Yeah, I know he's had a lot of ideas that just have never made it to the big screen. Still, I'm hoping this one (or a really good Death or Sandman one) actually makes it.

 

[Zen Butler]

I too am a HUGE Gaiman fan. Coraline is quite new, I haven't heard anything on this. I too think Burton would be an awesome choice for this. I just love Coraline to death, I have read it three times since its release.
I think Neverwhere would make the best adaption, this is my favorite of his. Keep in mind, Gaiman is fairly young, as are his novels. Give it time. My current favorite modern fiction write right now, am reading American Gods, as we speak.

 

[JonZ]

I have a link to the Sandman script at work. When I go in tomorrow Ill add a link. I REALLY liked it.

 

[JohnE]

Personally I would absolutely love to see Stardust brought to the big screen. That book just captivated me.

 

[Zen Butler]

Stardust is so neck and neck with Neverwhere in my eyes. Another beautiful book. I wish more would discover his all-age books, like Coraline, Stardust, The Day I Swapped.....
edit/addition: btw, his site is really cool, he keeps a regular journal, check it out if you haven't already
http://www.neilgaiman.com/index.asp

 

[Zen Butler]

on the subject of Coraline, his site states:

"Coraline: Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) is writing and directing

this adaptation of Neil's popular book. It was written for little girls of eight or so, but it's appeal is much broader. Coraline is a bored young girl who explores her parent's new apartment, only to find a door that was bricked up previously now leads to a world that is a twisted reflection of the one she left. The Other Mother, a woman with stiletto fingernails and black buttons for eyes wants to love Coraline, give her wondrous toys and make her happy...for a price. The story, with it's two very different feeling settings, provides the opportunity to do some interesting things with stop action animation and live action. It's expected to be out in 2003, and will be distributed by Disney, released by Pandemonium Films. Selick was one of two directors to receive an advance copy of the book, and he loved it so much that he started work on it right away. His first script was too faithful to the book, and so he is expanding his ideas in a new draft. There are rumors on the internet that Michelle Pfeiffer is set to star, but as of this article's release a rumor's all it really is. "

 

[James_Kiang]

Thanks for priniting that bit from Neil's online journal Zen. I have checked out his site but haven't had the chance to really look at it too closely. I hope the Pfeiffer casting rumor turns out to be true because I think she could do a good job with the role of Mother/Other Mother. I haven't read American Gods, Neverwhere, or Good Omens (that is his, right? rumored that Gilliam is working on it) but I do have the Sandman run, Death, and Stardust. I think Death would actually be the least expensive to make, even less than Coraline actually (though it has been some time since I've read it so I may be forgetting a lot). In any case, if anything ever does get made that Neil works on I'll be there to check it out.

 

[mike martin]

Add me to the list of Gaiman fans. I thought that I had read that re recently went back to work on a Death:The High Cost of Living script and was feeling very good about it. Not that that means it will get made; but it's somthing.