Movies

Neil Gaiman offers to step back from Good Omens so production can continue on season 3

BBG News

As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the captivating worlds created by Neil Gaiman, I must confess that the recent allegations against him have left me feeling a tad disillusioned, much like when a much-anticipated game’s DLC turns out to be a dud. The gravity of these accusations cannot be understated, and it’s essential for those in positions of influence to take responsibility and strive towards rectifying their actions.

Over the past few months, renowned author Neil Gaiman, best known for works such as “The Sandman” and “American Gods,” has faced allegations of non-consensual sexual acts and sexual assault from five different women. Back in July, Tortoise Media published a story about two of these women, while another woman spoke out on the “Am I Broken: Survivor Stories” podcast that same month. In early August, two more women came forward with their stories on Tortoise Media’s podcast.

Neil Gaiman is a highly impactful writer whose books and comics have inspired numerous TV shows and movies, some currently in production or already broadcast. However, Disney has recently scrapped plans for a film adaptation of his novel “The Graveyard Book,” and Amazon Prime Video has temporarily halted the third and final season of “Good Omens,” which is an extension of the book co-written by Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett.

In an unusual predicament, the television series Good Omens finds itself tightly bound to its creator, Neil Gaiman. Not only is it adapted from one of his novels, but he also serves as the executive producer, writer, and showrunner. This means that unlike the typical advice to separate the work from the artist, in this case, the artist is very much at the helm.

As reported by Deadline, Neil Gaiman has proposed taking a step away from the show, possibly to allow for unhindered production on season 3, given that the series might have been affected by his recent scandal. It’s important to note that Deadline understands Gaiman’s proposal does not imply an acceptance of wrongdoing. Amazon is reportedly contemplating this offer.

Initially, Gaiman collaborated as a co-showrunner on “Good Omens” together with Douglas Mackinnon. However, Mackinnon has taken a step back from the project for some time now. Consequently, if Amazon wishes to proceed with the series without Gaiman’s involvement, they would likely need to recruit an entirely new showrunner.

Back in the day, I remember a time when something similar unfolded. A few years ago, HBO rolled out a captivating sci-fi/fantasy series titled “The Nevers.” The man behind the success of “The Avengers,” Joss Whedon, was at the helm as showrunner. However, before the first season even premiered, disturbing allegations concerning Whedon’s inappropriate behavior throughout his career surfaced. As a result, he stepped down from the series and HBO brought on Philippa Goslett to take over as showrunner for the subsequent six episodes.

Those six episodes were released on Tubi, not HBO, and there was no promotion to speak of. The show died a very quiet, unremarked-upon death. The Nevers didn’t have much of a chance to build an audience before the first batch of episodes wrapped up, and as mentioned, revelations of Whedon’s inappropriate behavior came to light before a single episode had been aired. Good Omens is a bit different; the first two seasons earned it a relatively small but incredibly passionate fanbase who want to see the story of Aziraphale and Crowley brought to a satisfying conclusion.

Will they get it? We’ll stay tuned.

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2024-09-11 18:41

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