Author Neil Gaiman unveiled his novella Coraline back in 2002 and, almost 20 years later, the writer confirms that fans shouldn’t expect a follow-up adventure anytime soon, as it’s a work he’s so proud of that he wouldn’t want to release a sequel if it can’t live up to the original. In some regards, this will likely come as a relief to fans, knowing just how high of standards Gaiman has for the story, though it will likely also frustrate others, knowing that it’s unlikely we will have the chance to return to the dark and twisted world of the fantasy story.
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“I’m waiting for a Coraline story that’s as good as or better than Coraline. There’s no point in making something less than the first book or movie,” Gaiman confirmed on Twitter when a fan asked for him to craft a sequel.
I’m waiting for a Coraline story that’s as good as or better than Coraline. There’s no point in making something less than the first book or movie. https://t.co/ivWaxDOk0p
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) March 31, 2021
Gaiman’s site describes the story, “When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous. But there’s another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go. Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.”
In 2009, Laika produced a stop-motion adaptation of the story from director Henry Sellick, who previously delivered audiences The Nightmare Before Christmas. Much like that 1993 film, Coraline struck a balance between playful whimsy and the macabre, earning it critical praise, despite failing to match the financial accomplishments of other animated releases from that year, like Up and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.
Even if the Coraline film couldn’t compete with its peers at the box office, it helped launch Laika into the spotlight. The studio continued to pursue unconventional narratives in follow-up films ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings. Their most recent film, 2019’s Missing Link, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, where it competed against Toy Story 4.
Stay tuned for details on a possible Coraline follow-up.
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