The NeverEnding Story (1984)
A boy who needs a friend finds a world that needs a hero in a land beyond imagination!
While hiding from bullies in his school's attic, a young boy discovers the extraordinary land of Fantasia, through a magical book called The Neverending Story. The book tells the tale of Atreyu, a young warrior who, with the help of a luck dragon named Falkor, must save Fantasia from the destruction of The Nothing.
Rent on Plex $2.99 (opens in a new tab) Buy on Prime Video $9.99 (opens in a new tab)
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 6 April 1984 |
| Genre | Adventure, Fantasy, Family |
| Director | Wolfgang Petersen |
| Starring | Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver and Tami Stronach |
| Runtime | 101 min |
| Rated | PG |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 84% · Metacritic 49/100 · TMDB users 7.2/10 |
| Budget | $27 million |
Where to watch The NeverEnding Story
We could not find The NeverEnding Story on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent The NeverEnding Story on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Plex. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The NeverEnding Story in 9 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | ARD/ZDF |
| Austria | Skygo, Max €11.99 |
| Brazil | Globoplay R$24.90 |
| Germany | Skygo, Max €11.99 |
| Ireland | Max |
| Liechtenstein | Max |
| Luxembourg | Max |
| Switzerland | Max CHF16.90 |
| United Kingdom | Max £9.99 GBP |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Wolfgang Petersen’s 1984 adventure blends live-action grit with practical effects to create a world that feels tangible. The film runs 101 minutes, a tight runtime for a story about a boy hiding in an attic who stumbles into a realm of luck dragons and existential threats. It is not a gentle bedtime story. The Nothing is a genuine force, and the stakes are high enough to make the fantasy feel dangerous. The practical costumes and sets give the land of Fantasia a weight that digital magic often lacks. It is a film that respects its audience’s intelligence, even if they are ten years old.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes lists an 84% score as of January 2026, averaging 7/10 across 49 reviews. Metacritic is less generous, sitting at 49/100 from 11 critics. The split is sharp. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 3 out of 4 stars, noting that "an entirely new world has been created." His co-host Gene Siskel disagreed, calling the dragon a cheap toy and the film "much too long," a duration Ebert correctly noted was only 90 minutes. Vincent Canby of The New York Times panned it as "graceless." Critics loved the imagination; they forgot the clock.
How it did with audiences
It cost $27 million and took in $20 million, which looks like a loss until you account for the exchange rate and the fact that it was the highest-grossing German film at the time. Almost 5 million people saw it in Germany, a number rarely achieved by local productions. In the US, it earned a similar sum, which director Wolfgang Petersen attributed to its European sensibilities. On TMDB, users rate it 7.2 out of 10.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The NeverEnding Story.
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Sources
- The NeverEnding Story on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q316555 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The NeverEnding Story (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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