# The NeverEnding Story III
**The NeverEnding Story III** (German original title *Die unendliche Geschichte III – Rettung aus Phantásien*) is a 1994 fantasy-adventure film, the third screen adaptation of [Michael Ende](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-ende)'s characters, directed by Peter MacDonald from a screenplay by [Jeff Lieberman](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeff-lieberman) and a story by Karin Howard[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-neverending-story-iii). It was a United States and Germany co-production with a 95-minute running time and a G rating[3](https://watch.afi.com/movie/the-neverending-story-iii). Jason James Richter plays Bastian, and the cast includes [Jack Black](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-black) as the bully Slip, Freddie Jones as Mr. Coreander, and Julie Cox as the Childlike Empress[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 1994; AFI lists October 26, 1994[3](https://watch.afi.com/movie/the-neverending-story-iii); earliest domestic (US) release February 2, 1996 through Miramax[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0110647/credits/) |
| Director and writers | Peter MacDonald; screenplay Jeff Lieberman; story Karin Howard; characters Michael Ende[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/) |
| Lead cast | Jason James Richter (Bastian), Melody Kay (Nicole), Jack Black (Slip), Freddie Jones (Mr. Coreander / Old Man of Wandering Mountain), Julie Cox (The Childlike Empress)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/) |
| Production | United States/Germany co-production, 95 minutes, rated G[3](https://watch.afi.com/movie/the-neverending-story-iii); producers Dieter Geissler, Tim Hampton, and Heinz Bibo[3](https://watch.afi.com/movie/the-neverending-story-iii) |
| Music and effects | Original score by Peter Wolf; special effects by Jim Henson's Creature Shop with special-effects supervisor Derek Meddings[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996/cast-and-crew) • [6](https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/17253) |
| Reception | 20% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 10 reviews; 25% Popcornmeter from 10,000+ ratings[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996); IMDb 3.2 from about 13,000 votes[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-neverending-story-iii) |
| Box office | The film had grossed $5 million in Germany by late December 1994; its U.S. theatrical grosses were not publicly released[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996) • [12](https://ipfs.basearchive.ai/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/The_NeverEnding_Story_III.html) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
After his father remarries, Bastian has trouble dealing with his hostile stepsister Nicole, and at his new school he is bullied by Slip and his gang[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996). Retreating to the library, he meets the elderly Mr. Coreander, who has given up his bookshop and now works as a librarian, and Bastian again takes up the book *The NeverEnding Story*, which transports him to Fantasia[8](https://eiga.com/movie/47645/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996).
The conflict turns on the book itself. A group of bullies known as the Nasties steal Bastian's magical book, which acts as a portal between Earth and the imaginary world of Fantasia, and Fantasia's creatures enter the real world as a result[9](https://www.miramax.com/movie/never-ending-story-iii-escape-from-fantasia/). Bastian must retrieve the book and return the Luck Dragon, the Rock Eater, the Talking Tree, gnomes, and other creatures to their rightful home[9](https://www.miramax.com/movie/never-ending-story-iii-escape-from-fantasia/).
## Cast and crew
Jason James Richter, who had drawn attention in *Free Willy*, plays Bastian[8](https://eiga.com/movie/47645/). Melody Kay plays his stepsister Nicole, and Jack Black plays Slip, the leader of the bullies[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/). [Freddie Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/freddie-jones) plays Mr. Coreander, who is also the Old Man of Wandering Mountain, and Julie Cox plays the Childlike Empress[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/). Returning Fantasia characters include Engywook, played by [Tony Robinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/tony-robinson), and Urgl, played by Moya Brady[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/). Gord Robertson plays Falkor the luckdragon, and William Hootkins is the voice of Falkor and plays Bark Troll[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-neverending-story-iii).
Behind the camera, Robin Vidgeon was the cinematographer, Rolf Zehetbauer the production designer, and Michael Bradsell the editor[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996/cast-and-crew). [Peter Wolf](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-wolf) wrote the original score, and the film also carries songs by Roxette, Aaliyah, Inner Circle, and Seal throughout[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996/cast-and-crew) • [8](https://eiga.com/movie/47645/). The special effects were produced by [Jim Henson](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-henson)'s Creature Shop under special-effects supervisor Derek Meddings[6](https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/17253).
## Release
The film's release history is spread across dates and territories. The [American Film Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-film-institute) lists a release of October 26, 1994[3](https://watch.afi.com/movie/the-neverending-story-iii), and in Japan it opened on December 17, 1994 through the distributor Toho-Towa[6](https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/17253). In the United States, Box Office Mojo records Miramax as the domestic distributor with an earliest release date of February 2, 1996[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0110647/credits/). The film's United States grosses were not released to the public[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996) • [12](https://ipfs.basearchive.ai/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/The_NeverEnding_Story_III.html).
## Reception
Critical response was negative. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 20% Tomatometer from 10 reviews and a 25% Popcornmeter score from more than 10,000 audience ratings[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996). Derek Elley of Variety wrote that the film "throws over the magical charm of the 1984 original and darker fantasy of the 1990 sequel for a semi-hip yarn patched together by a marketing committee"[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996). Adam Mars-Jones of The Independent described the inhabitants of Fantasia as "slightly tatty animatronics, seemingly from the bargain basement of Jim Henson's Creature Shop"[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996). On IMDb the film has a rating of 3.2 out of 10 from about 13,000 votes[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-neverending-story-iii).
## Place in the series
The film is the third screen version of Ende's material. The 1979 German novel *Die Unendliche Geschichte* was first adapted in 1984 in a film directed by [Wolfgang Petersen](https://www.edgepedia.org/wolfgang-petersen), followed by *The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter* (1990) and *The NeverEnding Story III* (1994)[10](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/german-dna-netflix-b1146518.html). Michael Ende, who died on August 28, 1995, had publicly disavowed the 1984 film, calling it "a humungous melodrama of kitsch, commerce, plush and plastic" after a private screening, and lost an injunction he and his publisher brought to have offending scenes removed[11](https://www.michaelende.de/en/author/biography/neverending-movie-saga).
In March 2024, Michael Ende Productions and See-Saw Films announced a partnership to develop and produce a new series of live-action films based on the novel[10](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/german-dna-netflix-b1146518.html).
## Availability
As of a July 8, 2026 check of 365 streaming services, [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) reported that the film was not available to stream online in the United States, with no rental or digital-purchase option shown; DVD and Blu-ray purchase through Amazon remained the listed route[2](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-neverending-story-iii).
## References
1. [The NeverEnding Story III (1994) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110647/fullcredits/)
2. [The NeverEnding Story III streaming: watch online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-neverending-story-iii)
3. [The NeverEnding Story III, American Film Institute](https://watch.afi.com/movie/the-neverending-story-iii)
4. [The NeverEnding Story III – Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0110647/credits/)
5. [The Neverending Story III: Escape From Fantasia – Cast and Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996/cast-and-crew)
6. [映画 ネバーエンディング・ストーリー３ (1994), allcinema](https://www.allcinema.net/cinema/17253)
7. [The Neverending Story III: Escape From Fantasia, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_neverending_story_iii_1996)
8. [ネバーエンディング・ストーリー3：作品情報・キャスト・あらすじ, 映画.com](https://eiga.com/movie/47645/)
9. [Never Ending Story III: Escape From Fantasia – Official Site, Miramax](https://www.miramax.com/movie/never-ending-story-iii-escape-from-fantasia/)
10. [Fantasy novel The Neverending Story to be made into live-action films, The Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/german-dna-netflix-b1146518.html)
11. [The Neverending Movie Saga, Michael Ende (official site)](https://www.michaelende.de/en/author/biography/neverending-movie-saga)
12. [The NeverEnding Story III](https://ipfs.basearchive.ai/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/The_NeverEnding_Story_III.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Films by genre, form, and subject › Adaptations of literature, stage, and other media*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license