Film

The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter

Name: The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter
Genre: Family, Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
Released: 1990
Cast: Jonathan Brandis, Kenny Morrison, Clarissa Burt, John Wesley Shipp, Martin Umbach

Bastian returns to Fantasia for another battle against destruction, this time facing the sorceress Xayide and the Emptiness. It's a colourful, earnest fantasy adventure aimed at children, with practical effects and genuine stakes. Uneven but sincere—the kind of sequel that tries hard and reaches for something real, even when the seams show.

TMDb rating

2.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you loved the first film's storybook wonder and want more of it, along with a sorceress who feels genuinely menacing to a young imagination.

Skip it if you find earnest, sentimental children's fantasy wearing thin, or you want a sequel that builds its own world rather than revisiting one.

What it asks of you: Quick and light at ninety minutes, with a brisk, episodic rhythm and plenty of bright, sometimes scary spectacle, asking little beyond an open imagination.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The NeverEnding Story1984

The original film that made Fantasia matter. Richer in texture, more confident in its emotional core, and the definitive version of the world Bastian enters. Essential context and simply better cinema.

But Pacing feels leisurely by modern standards, and some practical effects look dated. The melancholy tone won't appeal to viewers wanting pure adventure.

Labyrinth1986

Jim Henson's practical-effects fantasy with genuine darkness and invention. A young hero navigates a impossible maze against a seductive villain. The production design and creature work remain astonishing.

But The plot is thin and the musical numbers divisive. David Bowie's villain, while charismatic, can overshadow the protagonist's journey.

Legend1985

Ridley Scott's fever dream of a fantasy where a boy must save a princess from a demon in a magical forest. Stunning practical design, a genuinely threatening villain, and Tim Curry at his most theatrical and terrifying.

But The theatrical cut is 90 minutes of pure spectacle with minimal plot. Some find it a gorgeous, empty experience—all style, very little substance.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Spirited Away2001

Both centre a child transported into a vivid secondary world where their growth matters more than the plot. Both ask: what do we keep when we leave the real world? But Miyazaki executes this concept with an artistry and depth that reveals what the original film was reaching for.

Studio Ghibli's masterpiece about a girl lost in a magical world. It does what The NeverEnding Story II attempts—a child hero in a richly detailed fantasy realm—but with visual poetry, emotional intelligence, and genuine magic. A film that transforms how you see animation and storytelling.

But Japanese anime aesthetics won't appeal to everyone. The pacing is slow and meditative, which some experience as boring rather than contemplative.

The Dark Crystal1982

Henson and Oz's entirely puppet-performed epic. A visual and imaginative landmark that still feels alien and genuinely strange. If you love tactile fantasy worlds, this is unmissable.

But Slow-paced and visually dense to the point of exhaustion. The narrative is secondary to the world-building, which some find tedious rather than immersive.

Willow1988

Ron Howard's cheerful sword-and-sorcery adventure with Warwick Davis as an unlikely hero. Practical effects, genuine humour, and a story that doesn't take itself too seriously. Pure adventure fun.

But The plot is familiar and the stakes feel light. Val Kilmer's comic relief is aggressively broad, which lands better for some viewers than others.

The Princess Bride1987

A fairy tale that works as adventure, comedy, and genuine emotional storytelling all at once. Smart, funny, and touching—a film that delights viewers across decades without talking down to anyone.

But The ironic, meta framing can feel distancing if you're after pure immersion. Some find the self-aware tone undermines the emotional stakes.

Stardust2007

Neil Gaiman's fairy tale as a swashbuckling adventure. Charming, funny, visually accomplished, and genuinely touching underneath the wit. A film that knows exactly what it's doing.

But It wears its influences heavily and doesn't break new ground. The tonal shifts between comedy and sentiment can feel uneven in places.

Bridge to Terabithia2007

A children's story about imagination as survival, where two kids build a secret kingdom in the woods. Beautiful and serious about its themes in a way that respects young viewers' capacity for real emotion.

But The first half is slower and more grounded than some expect. Its emotional weight can be heavy rather than uplifting for younger audiences.

The 10th Kingdom2000

Like The NeverEnding Story II, it's a story about belief in fantasy worlds mattering. But it's live-action, sprawling, and made for television in an era when that meant ambition on a tighter budget. It shows what that particular engine looks like in a different medium.

A miniseries fantasy that treats its fairy-tale world with genuine respect and emotional weight. Ordinary people pulled into a magical realm, practical effects, and a story that expands across time and tone. Ambitious and unafraid to be earnest.

But Early-2000s TV production values show their age. The runtime is substantial—four hours total—and the second half struggles with pacing.

The BFG2016

Both are stories about childhood imagination meeting a real magical world, but Spielberg approaches it with a quieter reverence than broad adventure. Where The NeverEnding Story II reaches for excitement, The BFG settles into mood—showing what happens when you slow down and simply let the world exist.

Spielberg's adaptation of Roald Dahl's novel. A girl befriends a giant in a whimsical world. Gorgeous, tender, deliberately childlike in its visual logic. A film that trusts wonder without ever becoming cynical.

But It's *soft*—emotionally and narratively. There's no real conflict and the pacing is deliberately unhurried. Some find it precious rather than touching.