Hollywood (namely Disney) has found itself in a bit of a rabbit hole exploring live-action adaptations of animated classics in recent years. In a matter of less than five months, three Disney remakes have hit the big screen, and buzz about the studio’s upcoming new take on Mulan, as well as The Little Mermaid casting news, has also been in full swing. Now another animated favorite, Laika’s Coraline, has become the center of live-action discussion.
Coraline’s original writer, Neil Gaiman, quickly put the rumors to rest on Twitter Tuesday by bluntly assuring fans it “isn’t happening.” He followed up his comments with these words:
Have no fear! Buttoned eyes are for Laika’s carefully sculpted faces for stop-motion animation and will stay that way. The writer also known for his work on Amazon’s Good Omens, Lucifer and American Gods quickly observed all the pushback toward a live-action remake of his dark family fantasy about a young girl’s journey through a door where an idealized parallel world of her life exists. The movie is based on Neil Gaiman’s 2002 children’s novella. He continued with this:
It’s not easy to break down the mess of the internet (or Twitter for that matter), but my best guess is the rumor stemmed from a piece of innocent fan casting posted earlier this week. Check it out:
A fan account of Stranger Things’ Nancy Wheeler actress, Natalia Dyer, published an edit of her as Coraline and she certainly is an inspired choice! However, Coraline is said to be an 11-year-old girl and Dyer is 22. Maybe in a theoretic sequel she’d be a great choice!
The tweet went viral, sparking some discourse among fans about whether a live-action version of Coraline was a good idea. When it became a trending topic, some mistook the conversation for a reaction to actual news. Here’s one bit of enthusiasm about the non-existent project:
While the animated film is a modern animated classic, not everyone was satisfied with how it turned out. Book adaptations are no stranger to angering fans and the idea of a live-action version got this fan excited about a movie closer to Gaiman’s original story. On the other hand, another user pointed out all the work that went into the Laika film. Take a look:
Live-action adaptations have been big money-makers for Disney, and that’s probably the main reason why they keep updating their classic animated films. The fanbase is already there and they’re curious about another take when the studio goes the live-action route. As The Lion King approaches theaters this weekend, it’s expected to make a ton of money despite lukewarm reviews.
Would you see a Coraline live-action remake? Sound off in the comments!
