Henry Selick To Direct Adapation of Neil Gaiman's Novel "CORALINE"

[Khephra]

Henry Selick told SCI FI Wire that he'll write and direct a big-screen adaptation of Coraline, based on the children's fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman. Selick, an animator and director who specializes in stop-motion animation, is best known for The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Monkeybone. "Neil Gaiman approached me to ask if I'd like to get on board the project before it was published," Selick said in an interview while promoting his latest film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, the upcoming Wes Anderson live-action film for which he created a variety of exotic sea creatures. "That was three and a half years ago."

Selick added, "I saw the galleys and took it to Bill Mechanic, the producer, and convinced them both to give me a crack at writing it. It took a year and a half for me to actually get a draft that worked."

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2004-12/14/13.00.film