Well, do you recall how fulfilling the wishes demands a sacrifice of Bastian's memories and self?

One might alternatively phrase that as wish fulfillment, if one was tricky writer sort.

One might also note that the Story demands Bastian pass it on to another child if he wants his own memories back. Once he realizes he is not willing to give up his last memories of his father.

Passing to a new host once it has drained Bastian of what it wants and his defenses prevent it from gaining more, as it were.

A successful parasite is not one that kills its host, after all, it's one that spreads and grows.

And then it evolves and spreads to a new, American movie going population where that message isn't profitable so it just becomes a standard chosen one story.