Peter Jackson might be a good fit. He has experience with large - scale fantasy epics, having directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy. His attention to detail and ability to bring epic stories to the big screen could work well for a remake of The Neverending Story. Also, Taika Waititi could be considered. His sense of humor and creativity, as shown in Thor: Ragnarok, could add a new and interesting dimension to the remake.
One possible change could be in the characters' development. They could give Bastian more complex motives. Maybe in the remake, he's not just a lonely boy escaping into a fantasy world, but has some deeper issues at home that are resolved through his adventures in the Neverending Story.
Tom Holland could be a great choice for Bastian. He has that youthful charm and has proven he can handle both action and emotional scenes from his work in the Spider - Man movies.
One key element is the casting. The actors need to be able to bring the fantastical characters to life. Another is the special effects. Since the story has a lot of magical and otherworldly elements, good special effects are crucial. Also, staying true to the essence of the original story while adding new twists can attract both old fans and new audiences.
I haven't heard of any remake of The Christmas Story. Usually, such remakes are announced through official channels or media reports. Keep an eye out for those if you're interested.
No. FF7 Remake is more like a reimagining of the beginning part of the FF7 story. It has some new elements and changes to the original plot. For example, some character interactions are different. The full story of FF7 is very extensive and the Remake just scratches the surface so far. It's expected that more of the story will be told as the series of remakes progresses.