The Neverending Story (2030 film)

The Neverending Story (titled onscreen as The Neverending Story: Part I) is a 2030 American computer-animated adventure fantasy film produced by Warner Animation Group, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Atomic Monster, See-Saw Films, Animal Logic and Michael Ende Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was directed by James Wan and based on the book of the same name by Michael Ende with a screenplay by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. The film stars Archie Yates, Alexander Molony, Malachi Barton, Nicolas Cantu, Trinity Bliss, Djimon Hounsou, Sam Elliott, Patrick Wilson, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Idris Elba, Andy Serkis, Bonnie Aarons, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro, Dave Bautista, Richard Ayoade, Leigh Whannell and Scarlett Johansson. It follows a boy who finds a magical book that tells of a young warrior who is given the task of stopping the Nothing, a dark force, from engulfing the wonderland world of Fantastica. The film was a commercial success, grossing $940 million worldwide. The film received universal acclaim from critics and audiences for its animation, Wan's direction, voice acting, characters, visuals, scope, Don Burgess' cinematography, John Powell's musical score, editing, action sequences and faithfulness to the source material. The film was nominated for four awards at the 103rd Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Sound. A sequel, The Neverending Story: Part II, was released on May 14, 2032.
== Plot ==
The film centres on a boy, Bastian Balthazar Bux, an overweight and imaginative child who is neglected by his father after the death of Bastian's mother. While escaping from some bullies, Bastian bursts into the antiquarian book store of Carl Conrad Coreander, where he finds his interest held by a book called The Neverending Story. Unable to resist, he steals the book and hides in his school's attic, where he begins to read.
The story Bastian reads is set in the magical land of Fantastica, a place of wonder ruled by the benevolent and mysterious Childlike Empress. A great delegation has come to the Empress to seek her help against a formless entity called "The Nothing". The delegates are shocked when the Empress's physician, a centaur named Cairon, informs them that the Empress is ill, and has chosen a boy warrior named Atreyu to find a cure. Upon finding Atreyu, Cairon gives him AURYN: a powerful amulet that protects him from all harm. At the advice of the giant turtle Morla the Aged One, Atreyu sets off in search of an invisible oracle known as Uyulala, who may know the Empress's cure. In reaching her, he is aided by a luckdragon named Falkor, whom he rescues from the shapeshifting creature Ygramul the Many. By Uyulala, he is told the only thing that can save the Empress is a new name given to her by a human, who can only be found beyond Fantastica's borders.
Through reading the story, Bastian becomes increasingly disturbed by hints that the characters are somehow aware that he is reading their adventures, being able to hear or even see him at points. As Falkor and Atreyu search for the borders of Fantastica, Atreyu is flung from Falkor's back in a confrontation with the four Wind Giants and loses AURYN in the sea. Atreyu lands in the ruins of Spook City, the home of various creatures of darkness. Wandering the dangerous city, Atreyu finds the werewolf Gmork, chained and near death, who tells him that all the residents of the city have leapt voluntarily into The Nothing. There, thanks to the irresistible pull of the destructive phenomenon, the Fantasticans are becoming lies in the human world. The wolf also reveals that he is a servant of the force behind The Nothing and was sent to prevent the Empress's chosen hero from saving her. Gmork then reveals that when the princess of the city discovered his treachery against the Empress, she imprisoned him and left him to starve to death. When Atreyu announces that he is the hero Gmork has sought, the wolf laughs and succumbs to death. When approached, Gmork's body instinctively seizes Atreyu's leg in his jaws, preventing him from escaping the Nothing. Meanwhile, Falkor retrieves AURYN from the sea and arrives in time to save Atreyu from the rapid approach of The Nothing.
Falkor and Atreyu go to the Childlike Empress, who assures them they have brought her rescuer to her; Bastian suspects that the Empress means him, but cannot bring himself to believe it. When Bastian refuses to speak the new name, to prompt him into fulfilling his role as savior, the Empress herself locates the Old Man of Wandering Mountain, who possesses a book also entitled The Neverending Story, which the Empress demands he read aloud. As he begins, Bastian is amazed to find the book he is reading is repeating itself, beginning once again whenever the Empress reaches the Old Man — only this time, the story begins with Bastian's meeting with Coreander, his theft of the book, and all his actions in the attic. Realizing that the story will repeat itself forever without his intervention, Bastian names the Empress "Moon Child", and appears with her in Fantastica, where he restores its existence through his own imagination. The Empress has also given him AURYN, on the back of which he finds the inscription "Do What You Wish".
== Cast ==
Archie Yates as Bastian Balthazar Bux
Alexander Molony as Bastian Balthazar Bux (Fantastica)
Malachi Barton as Atreyu
Nicolas Cantu as Artax
Trinity Bliss as the Childlike Empress/Moonchild
Djimon Hounsou as Cairon
Sam Elliott as Carl Conrad Coriander
Patrick Wilson as Thomas Bux
John Malkovich as Engywook
Helen Mirren as Urgl
Idris Elba as Falkor
Andy Serkis as Gmork
Bonnie Aarons as Ygramul, the Many
Cate Blanchett as Morla
John Turturro as The Old Man of Wandering Mountain
Dave Bautista as Pyornkrachzark the Rock-Biter
Richard Ayoade as Gluckuk, the Tiny Man
Leigh Whannell as Vooshvazool, the Night Hob
Scarlett Johansson as Uyulala, the Voice of Still
== Production ==
== Release ==
The film was released on February 8, 2030.
== Music ==
The film's score was composed by John Powell.
== Transcript ==
The Neverending Story (2030 film)/Transcript
== Credits ==
The Neverending Story (2030 film)/Credits
== Opening logos ==
== Critical reception ==
The film was an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
== Accolades ==
Group 	Award 	Recipient 	Result
103rd Academy Awards	Best Animated Feature	James Wan 	Nominated
103rd Academy Awards	Best Film Editing 	Kirk Morri 	Nominated
103rd Academy Awards	Best Original Score 	John Powell 	Nominated
103rd Academy Awards	Best Sound 	Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett	Nominated
== Gallery ==
The Neverending Story (2030 film)/Gallery
== Trivia ==
* The film has an art style influenced by Jhonen Vasquez and Lauren Faust.
* The film is more faithful to the source material than the 1984 film directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
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