Neil Gaiman Almost Made A Marvel Movie Prequel Series, We Were Robbed
Neil Gaiman was supposed to create an animated Thor series in the early 2000s. Responding to fan questions on Tumblr, the author said the project would have served as a prequel to the 2011 film. “Long ago – around 2006 – I was asked to create a Thor animated cartoon, and I got all excited, and the brief was it had to be set before the Thor movie,” he wrote.
Neil Gaiman’s Loki
While Neil Gaiman didn’t share too many details, the author revealed that he had planned a multi-season story for the Thor series. I did a deep Thor dive, reread everything Jack Kirby drew, came up with a whole story shape that ran a few seasons showing young Loki going from hero-worshipping his big brother to going to the bad,” he continued.
Shot Down By Marvel
The series stalled when Marvel Studios told Neil Gaiman that he could not deviate from the MCU version of events. “I wasn’t actually allowed to have any of the characters at any point be different in any way from how they were in the Thor movie, so I said no thank you and stopped,” he added about the series. While the 2011 Thor movie touched on Loki’s childhood, it didn’t offer extensive details.
Over 60 Years Of Thor
Thor has been a cornerstone of Marvel Comics long before Neil Gaiman was approached about a series. Created by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and artist Jack Kirby, Thor first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 in 1962. The character draws heavily from Norse mythology, particularly the God of thunder, Thor.
Thor And Loki
In the comics, Thor is the son of Odin, the ruler of Asgard. He wields the enchanted hammer Mjolnir, which grants him the ability to control thunder and lightning. Thor is known for his immense strength, durability, and bravery in battle. He battles various villains, including his adoptive brother Loki, the trickster God, the fire demon Surtur, and the world-devouring entity known as Galactus.
Amazing Writers Have Worked On Thor
Thor’s adventures have taken him through various story arcs, including instances where he has been depowered or replaced. Notable storylines include The Mighty Thor by Walt Simonson, which is considered a classic run on the character. Another significant story is Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron, which explores the character’s mythology like Neil Gaiman wanted to do in the animated series.
The 2011 Movie
The God of Thunder made his big screen debut in 2011’s Thor. Marvel Studios followed up the film with several sequels, such as The Dark World in 2013, Ragnarok in 2017, and Love and Thunder in 2022, with Chris Hemsworth portraying the titular hero. Hemsworth has also appeared in five additional MCU movies and the Disney+ animated series What If…?
Avengers
While Marvel Studios hasn’t officially announced a fifth Thor movie, Hemsworth previously expressed his desire for the character to receive a proper conclusion like the send-offs given to Iron Man and Captain America, as portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans. While Neil Gaiman didn’t contribute to the on-screen adventures of the superhero, the author has been busy with other projects.
The Sandman
Neil Gaiman is currently working on the second season of Netflix’s The Sandman, which is based on his critically acclaimed DC Comics series of the same name. Fans of the series can also look forward to the show’s first spinoff, Dead Boy Detectives, which released its first teaser trailer in November 2023.
Dead Boy Detectives
The series, originally in development for Max as a spinoff of Doom Patrol, will be set in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman Universe and follow Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew) and Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri), who are “the brains and the brawn” behind the Dead Boy Detectives agency. The series is expected to debut on Netflix in April.
Source: Tumblr
