Multiple Neil Gaiman Movies And TV Shows Canceled And Suspended
In the wake of sexual assault allegations made by five separate women, the production of multiple Neil Gaiman TV shows and movies has been put on hold or canceled altogether. While the much-maligned author has not yet been formally charged by authorities regarding the severe allegations, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney have all hit the pause button on the future development of projects related to Gaiman. As of September 16, neither of the companies has commented on the speculation about the potential legal issues surrounding Gaiman.
Dead Boy Detectives Cancelled
Despite earning initial praise from critics, Dead Boy Detectives was cancelled by Netflix in August 2024 after just one season. The show, which took place in the same fictional universe as Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, enjoyed a somewhat successful debut, appearing in Nielsen’s top 10 original streaming series two separate times following its premiere.
However, the supernatural mystery series quickly fell out of favor among viewers, likely contributing to the show’s early demise. The cancellation of Dead Boy Detectives, however, occurred before any of the Neil Gaiman allegations came to light.
Good Omens Stopped As Well
Among the handful of Neil Gaiman TV shows and movies that have seen an abrupt suspension of production is the third and final season of Good Omens, which had already jump-started pre-production for the Amazon Prime Video and BBC Studios’ show.
The comedy is based on Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
With the show being Neil Gaiman’s most hands-on project, serving as executive producer, writer, and showrunner, the 63-year-old author offered to step away from the show’s production in August 2024.
The Graveyard Book On Hold?
Additionally, the current development of the Disney film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 2008 young adult novel The Graveyard Book has also been put on hold for the foreseeable future.
Insiders have reported that while the film has not been completely scrapped, the allegations made against Neil Gaiman have forced Disney to slow down on the production and weigh its options.
The film had reportedly been stuck in development limbo since Miramax first announced the film adaptation back in 2009.
Stuck In Development?
Following a couple of different changes of hands, Disney acquired the rights to the film in 2012 but failed to greenlight a production. In July 2022, director Marc Forster agreed to come aboard, working with a script penned by screenwriter David Magee.
Unlike other Neil Gaiman TV shows and movies, the popular author announced that he was not involved in the production of The Graveyard Book.
Accusations Against Neil Gaiman
In July 2024, Tortoise Media reported that two women had accused Neil Gaiman of sexual assault, with one of the women filing a police complaint against the author in New Zealand.
Commenting on the situation, Neil Gaiman vehemently denied the allegations and questioned their validity, arguing that he offered to fully cooperate with police in New Zealand in 2022.
Despite Neil Gaiman’s claims, police in New Zealand released a statement that authorities had made a “number of attempts to speak to key people as part of this investigation and those efforts remain ongoing,” the statement read. The sexual assault allegation involves a woman who worked as a nanny for Neil Gaiman before engaging in a consensual sexual relationship.
More Women Come Forward
However, the woman alleges that non-consensual sexual contact occurred several times throughout the relationship, with Neil Gaiman becoming rough and degrading.
Following the original allegations, three more women have stepped forward, accusing the Good Omens author of sexual assault. As for now, the production of several Neil Gaiman TV shows and movies will remain on hold until investigations into the allegations against the author have been completed.
Source: The Guardian
