IndieWire has uncovered that the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's beloved "The Graveyard Book," which had already established its production hub, has been suspended amidst a tumultuous maelstrom of factors, notably including the damning accusations levied against its author. Disney has abruptly halted the journey of bringing this captivating tale to the big screen, a decision that follows the harrowing allegations of sexual misconduct levied by five women against Gaiman, the mastermind behind the beloved young adult novel originally published in 2008.
Sources close to the project intimate to IndieWire that while the film hasn't been definitively shelved, a confluence of factors, the accusations chief among them, has conspired to put the project on ice. Marc Forster, who was poised to helm this cinematic endeavor, now finds himself at the helm of a project on hold.
This summer, the U.K.-based Tortoise Media dropped a bombshell with a podcast series that delved into the graphic details of these accusations, featuring four women's harrowing testimonies. Adding to the already grim narrative, a fifth woman bravely stepped forward in late July on the podcast "Am I Broken: Survivor Stories," further tarnishing Gaiman's image. Two of the accusers recounted consensual relationships gone awry, alleging that Gaiman coerced them into non-consensual encounters marked by roughness and degradation, incidents spanning years apart.
Gaiman, who has staunchly denied these allegations, is a globally renowned figure, his works like "The Sandman" graphic novel series and novels such as "Good Omens," "Stardust," "American Gods," and "Coraline" having cemented his place in literary history. However, requests for comment from both Gaiman's representatives and Forster's camp have gone unanswered, leaving the future of "The Graveyard Book" adaptation shrouded in uncertainty.
The film, which would have narrated the enchanting tale of a young boy who finds solace and family among the supernatural inhabitants of a graveyard after his own family is brutally murdered, was yet to reveal its star-studded cast. Henry Selick, the visionary behind "Coraline," was initially attached to the project, with Disney acquiring the rights to the book back in 2012. Forster joined the fray in 2022, poised to direct and produce alongside his partner Renée Wolfe, with a screenplay penned by David Magee, the mind behind "Finding Neverland."
In a December 2022 Tumblr post, Gaiman himself distanced himself from the Disney production, addressing a concerned fan: "You know everything I know. And no, no control or say. Fingers crossed that if they make it, it's good." Adding to the series of setbacks, Netflix recently announced that "Dead Boy Detectives," a series based on characters co-created by Gaiman for DC Comics, would not see a second season.
