The Mystery of Coraline’s Raincoat Color

In a recent chat, Henry Selick, the director behind the beloved film Coraline, opened up about one of the biggest talking points since its release: the color of Coraline’s raincoat.

When Neil Gaiman wrote the original novella, he described Coraline wearing a blue coat. However, in the film, Selick chose to go with a bright yellow raincoat. This decision has sparked plenty of debate among fans since Coraline hit the big screen in 2009.

Selick acknowledged that yellow raincoats have shown up in various horror films, but he had a different reason for making Coraline’s coat yellow. He wanted her to stand out in the grey world of Oregon. The bright color reflects Coraline’s sunny personality and her attraction to the fantastical Other World.

In Selick’s vision, Coraline is an explorer, always eager to discover her surroundings, rain or shine. He wanted her vibrant color to contrast with her gloomy new home. He pointed out that in the Other World, the colors are bright and inviting, specifically chosen by the Other Mother to draw Coraline in.

Interestingly, Selick mentioned his inspiration possibly came from a chilling scene in the 1973 thriller by Nicolas Roeg, where a red raincoat symbolizes a tragic loss. That’s why he avoided using red for Coraline’s character. After all, Coraline is meant to be a PG film, and he wanted to keep a lighter tone.

As we celebrate Coraline’s 15th anniversary, fans can catch the remastered version in theaters and visit an exhibition at BFI Southbank, which highlights the innovative stop-motion techniques used at LAIKA Studios.