Stephen King and Maurice Sendak have breathed new life into the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel, despite never having met in real life. The highly anticipated reimagining of the Grimm Brothers’ story will be released on September 2, 2025. This timeless narrative, first published in Grimm’s Fairy Tales in 1812, follows two brave children navigating a foreboding forest, where they encounter an evil cannibalistic witch.
Sendak, who passed away in 2012, is celebrated for his iconic children’s books such as Where the Wild Things Are and Chicken Soup with Rice, the latter winning him the Caldecott Medal. His contribution to this new rendition of the classic tale was made possible by The Maurice Sendak Foundation. In a 1997 interview with a producer of the Hansel and Gretel opera, Sendak remarked, “Hansel and Gretel is the most profound of all Grimm fairy tales. Generally speaking, most of Grimm is about heroic children. Hansel and Gretel are the most heroic of them all … It’s the toughest story in the world and people are afraid of it, yet it’s famous because it’s so truthful.”
At 77 years old, King is renowned for crafting chilling narratives, with beloved novels like The Shining, It, and Pet Sematary transitioning to the silver screen. Throughout his illustrious career, King has authored 65 novels and novellas and has dabbled in crime, sci-fi, fantasy, and mystery genres. The exquisite outcome of King and Sendak’s collaboration has been praised by Lynn Caponera, executive director of Sendak’s foundation. Caponera expressed, “We can’t think of a more wonderful, appropriate collaboration than King and Sendak. Both are virtuosos of their crafts. Mr. King’s skillful adaptation reads as though he were looking over Maurice’s shoulder.”
King revealed the thrill of working with Sendak was instant for him. “Two of his pictures in particular spoke to me: One was of the wicked witch on her broom with a bag of kidnapped children riding behind her; the other was of the infamous candy house becoming a terrible face,” he shared. “I thought, ‘This is what the house really looks like, a devil sick with sin, and it only shows that face when the kids turn their backs.’ I wanted to write that!”
He continued, “To me, it was the essence of this story and, really, all fairytales: a sunny exterior, a dark and terrible center, brave and resourceful children. In a way, I have been writing about kids like Hansel and Gretel for much of my life.” As anticipation builds for this collaboration, fans and readers alike can feel the urgency and excitement surrounding its release. Preorders for Hansel and Gretel by Stephen King and Maurice Sendak are currently available at retailers everywhere.
This collaboration between two literary giants not only showcases their individual talents but also taps into the timeless themes of courage and resourcefulness found in classic fairy tales, promising to resonate with both new and longtime fans of their work.
