Disney has halted development of a film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's upcoming novel. The Graveyard Book Amid sexual assault allegations against the writer, the film, directed by Marc Forster, has not been completely halted, according to IndieWire“But there are multiple factors, including the allegations, that contributed to its postponement.”
No cast announced. The Graveyard BookThe novel is about a young boy who is raised by supernatural cemetery inhabitants after his family is murdered. Forster joined the cast in 2022 along with his producing partner Renee Wolfe and producer Ben Browning. David Magee was chosen to adapt the book, which was originally published in 2008. The novel was a bestseller and won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal.
In July, Gaiman denied sexual assault allegations made against him by two women he was in relationships with at the time, according to Tortoise Media. The allegations were made during Tortoise's four-part podcast Master: The accusations against Neil GaimanIn this letter, the women claimed to have had “violent and degrading sex” with the author, which the women claimed was not always consensual.
Last month, three more women came forward with accusations of sexual assault and abuse against Gaiman. Tortoise Media released the fifth episode of its podcast, which detailed the allegations from two more women, one of whom allegedly signed a non-disclosure agreement after her experience with Gaiman. A third woman, who uses the pseudonym Claire, spoke about her experience with Gaiman in a separate podcast, “Am I Broken: Stories of Survivors,” accusing the author of sexual misconduct.
After the first episode of Tortoise Media's four-part podcast, Gaiman denied all allegations against him and added that he was “disturbed” by the accusations. Gaiman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rolling StoneRequest for comment on Claire's allegations.
Gaiman's writings have been regularly adapted in Hollywood for both film and television, including sand man, american gods, Coraline, and Good omenNetflix quote from. Dead Boy InvestigatorsThe Last Jedi, which ran for one season, was recently canceled, though the studio did not give a specific reason for ending the series.
