New Gaiman TV/Movie?!?! [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2012-11-21, 12:35 PM

So, Neil Gaiman just posted a partial cast list that he received on Twitter.

James McAvoy, Ben. Cumberbatch, Christopher Lee, Anthony Head and Bernard Cribbins

He hasn't gotten the OK to say what the project is yet. He says he also has an equivalently awesome female cast list.

Possibilities for a new adaptation?

Neverwhere's unlikely, as it already has a mini-series. Started out as that actually. But how awesome would a newer closer-to-what-Gaiman-wanted mini-series or movie be! And that's one that would work as a movie just as well as a mini-series.

American Gods? Has been stuck in development hell with HBO for a while. If it is going to be made into a mini-series though, HBO does have the money and the influence to pull a cast of that quality. I mean, look at the names they got for Game of Thrones?

Graveyard Book? This one would be completely out-of-the-blue. However, all of the adult male roles are supporting roles, meaning none of the big names above would be the main character. Would work GREAT as a mini-series. Not so much as a movie, due to it being a set of short stories. Would have to be drastically changed to work as a single film...

What are all of your thoughts?

comicshorse

2012-11-21, 01:00 PM

'A Study in Emerald' Cumberbatch is now type cast as Sherlock Holmes :smallsmile:

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll

2012-11-21, 01:06 PM

'A Study in Emerald' Cumberbatch is now type cast as Sherlock Holmes :smallsmile:

Smauglock Holmes!

The Detectomancer?!?

I shall forever imagine Sauron with that darn hat and pipe now.

Dienekes

2012-11-21, 01:23 PM

You know, Cumberbatch would be an amazing Morpheus, I mean pitch perfect for the role. But I doubt it's Sandman.

industrious

2012-11-21, 01:24 PM

I know that Good Omens got optioned.

Mauve Shirt

2012-11-21, 04:15 PM

It's American Gods. I am super psyched.

Selrahc

2012-11-21, 04:31 PM

For American Gods, the cast doesn't sound very American. You basing that proclamation on anything Mauve Shirt?

Sandman? I could see those guys in Sandman.

Benedict Cumberbatch-Morpheus
Bernard Cribbins- Marv
James MacAvoy- Matthew
Anthony Head- Lucien
Christopher Lee- Burgess

JoshL

2012-11-21, 04:38 PM

News from comic-con this summer revealed HBO doing American Gods and Henry Selick doing the Graveyard Book as a film. So if he mentioned TV specifically, that does lean towards American Gods.

Which is just beyond awesome!

Selrahc

2012-11-21, 04:42 PM

Assuming we're going off the twitter, he didn't mention what it was for beyond "Cast list".

JoshL

2012-11-21, 04:44 PM

Just checked his twitter (https://twitter.com/neilhimself). Not Good Omens. He's waiting for an OK for an official reveal.

CarpeGuitarrem

2012-11-21, 04:46 PM

You know, Cumberbatch would be an amazing Morpheus, I mean pitch perfect for the role. But I doubt it's Sandman.
SANCTIFIED VECNA-FRAKKING GOBLINS!

If that happened...

Sunfall

2012-11-21, 05:18 PM

Aww, not Good Omens? Dang! That cast list sounded perfect for it! I can totally see James McAvoy as Aziraphael :smallbiggrin: And Cumberbatch would make a good Crowley, don't cha think?

I'd think it strange if it was American Gods, as there are quite few Americans in there, like SelrahC already pointed out. And there's no one who could play Shadow - they're all white...

Though Christopher Lee might make an epic Wednesday... Cribbins would be in that age margin, too, but I just can't picture him as that sleazy used car dealer kind of guy... Anthony Head? Hrmmm... Nope, I got nothing.

Sounds like a British production, though.

Oh, and Henry Selick with the Graveyard Book sounds awesome! :smallcool:

grom the mighty

2012-11-21, 05:33 PM

I think you're all forgetting Anansi Boys.

It's British, and the characters could be cast in a lot of different ways....

Also, I wouldn't say Cumberbatch has been type cast as Sherlock, just that it's what he's most well known for. He's been in a lot of successful productions, not least of which is the upcoming Hobbit movie (he's the voice of Smaug if you didn't know).

Mauve Shirt

2012-11-21, 05:39 PM

Josh L cited my main source for my proclamation.

Joran

2012-11-21, 05:41 PM

I think you're all forgetting Anansi Boys.

It's British, and the characters could be cast in a lot of different ways....

I'm pretty sure Fat Charlie Nancy is supposed to be black.

Not saying that you can't cast it differently, but Anansi Boys is very grounded in Caribbean culture, outside of the parts in London.

Sunfall

2012-11-21, 05:42 PM

Yes, both Anansi boys are definitely black. So the cast list would be restricted to minor characters? Unlikely...

And yes, after looking around for a bit, based on this photo (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Benedict_Cumberbatch_filming_Sherlock_cropped.jpg) , Benedict Cumberbatch would make quite a convincing Morpheus... Just squint a bit, imagine his eyes being black... Yes, I can definitely see it :smallamused:

JoshL

2012-11-21, 05:57 PM

Taking that photo you posted, Sunfall:
http://gnarphlager.com/Images/morpheus.jpg
(of course, someone with actual graphic skills could do better, as well as adjusting the costume)

I think we've found our Sandman.

And Tony Head can play any and everyone he wants to. Doubleplusgood if he sings!

Selrahc

2012-11-21, 05:57 PM

And there's no one who could play Shadow - they're all white...

Shadow is black? It wouldn't really surprise me, but I don't remember anything in the book describing him as such.

Sunfall

2012-11-21, 06:05 PM

Shadow is black? It wouldn't really surprise me, but I don't remember anything in the book describing him as such.

Well, it's only ever insinuated that he might be mixed race. People always ask him whether he's got some black or Native American blood, so he must not quite look "white".

American Gods spoiler:
And it's never stated outright, but in my world, Shadow's mom is black. Even if there's only just that one point where it is stated that she was the exact opposite of Wednesday's normal type of victim, which are usually blond and pale. I think it's masterfully done.

@JoshL: That's what I'm talking about :smallbiggrin: Nice!

thorgrim29

2012-11-21, 09:42 PM

Shadow could be anything race mixed with white, or just white, it's not at all important to the plot or his characterization. Anansi Boys however kind of requires most of the cast to be black from 3 distinct cultures (plus Anansi himself). This is actually the main reason it never got made into a film, because Gaiman won't budge on that.

Now assuming it's American Gods, I can see Benedict Cumberbatch as Loki, McAvoy could be Shadow but I'm thinking more along the lines of the technical kid, Anthony Head as Wednesday (I think the other two are too old for the role, I've always seen him as being in his mid 60s and they're way into their 80s). Christopher Lee I would cast as Czernobog, Cribbens could be Bielobog? And Morgan Freeman as Mr Nancy.

Dumbledore lives

2012-11-21, 10:42 PM

American Gods would be cool but with the cast it seems like it is leaning towards something else. Honestly if it was a Sandman TV show I would throw all my money wherever it needed to go to get it made, but that seems unlikely just based off the difficulties that would be encountered changing mediums with it. Whatever it is I'll watch it, because with Gaiman directly involved I'm sure it'll be great.

thorgrim29

2012-11-24, 01:37 AM

Looks like it's a radio version of Neverwhere

Selrahc

2012-11-24, 04:31 AM

Makes sense. I imagine it'll be on BBC radio, so you'll all be able to listen to it.

It's a really good cast list for Neverwhere, so I'm still psyched.
James MacAvoy- Richard
Benedict Cumberbatch- Marquis
Bernard Cribbins- Old Bailey
Anthony Head- Croup and Vandemar
Christopher Lee-Angel Islington

Sunfall

2012-11-24, 05:10 AM

Looks like it's a radio version of Neverwhere

Did a bit of digging and it seems you're right... Found this on whodonesque:

There was a tweet from a London talent agency saying Cumberbatch would be recording Neverwhere with James McAvoy http://ladyt220.tumblr.com/post/35772922320/benedict-to-record-neverwhere-for-radio-4

Gaiman confirmed that those actors are in the same project (re: Neverwhere). I think a follow up tweet also said he wasn't allowed to announce the female lead yet.

Here are some of the tweets (http://cumberbatchcollection.tumblr.com/post/35772231223/benedict-to-record-neverwhere-for-radio-4) - seems like Sophie Okonedo has been associated with the project, too.

James McAvoy fpr Richard seems spot-on, he's got that nice Scottish brogue. The rest I'm not so sure about. As much as I'd love Benedict Cumberbatch to have a bigger role (I could listen to that man reading the telephone book :smallredface:), I think he'd be a brilliant Islington. IMO Lee's voice could be too... bombastic for the role. The Earl maybe for him? Or the Blackfriars Abbot? Cribbins as Old Bailey I can see, very much so. Anthony Head as Croup and Vandemar? Is he that talented when it comes to voice acting? Croup needs to have a very very memorable voice...

Nice! Now I'm really wondering about the female cast list...

shadow_archmagi

2012-11-24, 09:37 AM

I guess Anthony really wants to reprise his role from Repo

Sunfall

2012-11-24, 11:03 AM

I guess Anthony really wants to reprise his role from Repo

*goes looking* *finds a video entitled "Thankless Job*

:smalleek:

OK, see, now I can imagine.

JoshL

2012-11-24, 11:23 AM

Oh, he's definitely got the chops and Repo is a good example. But you want to check out songs where he shifts personas..."Legal Assassin" or "Night Surgeon" I love him as an actor, but possibly even more as a vocalist.

Though Croup is a more refined evil and Vandemar is more simplistic, so I can definitely hear it!

The only SLIGHT problem is Christopher Lee as Islington. Not that he isn't perfect for the role (which he is). It's just a dead giveaway for anyone hearing the story the first time!

Thufir

2012-11-24, 12:21 PM

Silkspinner

2012-11-24, 12:30 PM

This should be interesting... though was personally hoping Neverwhere myself.

Love the book, hate the original mini-series that spawned it.

Meh, James McAvoy... he's one of those guys who without really having done anything really, really gets on my nerves with every movement and word. His voice is what primarily irritates me.

Selrahc

2012-11-24, 12:52 PM

Source for this? I can't see anything in the links people have posted saying who's playing who.

No source, that is my guess work on who is playing who. It has no official backing whatsoever!

Socratov

2012-11-24, 07:27 PM

Ok... just started on reading the sandman and indeed it has Neil Gaiman written all over it. I can really see Benedict Cumberbath playing Morpheous... that really would make it awesome (and make me regret not having bbc)

Thufir

2012-11-26, 08:18 AM

Ok... just started on reading the sandman and indeed it has Neil Gaiman written all over it.

...of course it has him written all over it. He wrote it. I can't understand what you're trying to say by this sentence.

The Succubus

2012-11-26, 08:28 AM

Feytalist

2012-11-26, 08:52 AM

As much as I love American Gods as a book I really can't see any way it'd work as either a film or TV series without some major reworkings. Same applies to Sandman as well.

I can't even imagine how even HBO would handle *that* scene with Bilquis.

All those vignettes and side stories would make for some really weird, disjointed TV. In a book they work okay. They read as prologues or little interludes, and you can even skip them if you really want (and are insane). But as a TV series, it just wouldn't work.

The Succubus

2012-11-26, 09:24 AM

The thing is though, all those interludes and viginettes are critical to the flavour of the book. They're glimpses into other worlds and cultures but more than that, they explain what Mr Wednesday and his associates are. If you stripped them out, you'd have a very dull and lifeless imitation of Baldur's tale with a few confusing and random encounters thrown in.

hamlet

2012-11-26, 09:25 AM

I can't even imagine how even HBO would handle *that* scene with Bilquis.

Yer joking right?

Judging by what they've done to Game of Thrones, I can't imagine anything but HBO being absolutely in love with that scene and making it even more . . . something.

CarpeGuitarrem

2012-11-26, 02:18 PM

...of course it has him written all over it. He wrote it. I can't understand what you're trying to say by this sentence.
Probably that it's a work very emblematic of Gaiman. Authors write lots of books, and some of them are more characteristic of the author than others.

Also, update: it has been confirmed to be a radio adaptation of Neverwhere.

Dumbledore lives

2012-11-26, 02:33 PM

All those vignettes and side stories would make for some really weird, disjointed TV. In a book they work okay. They read as prologues or little interludes, and you can even skip them if you really want (and are insane). But as a TV series, it just wouldn't work.

I don't see why you'd say this, at the beginning or end of an episode it works fine, and has been done in many series before successfully. Even in the middle of the episode can work as shown by Game of Thrones, whether you like the series or not it has attracted audiences and has shown that shifting perspectives can work in a TV show.

Feytalist

2012-11-27, 01:28 AM

I don't see why you'd say this, at the beginning or end of an episode it works fine, and has been done in many series before successfully. Even in the middle of the episode can work as shown by Game of Thrones, whether you like the series or not it has attracted audiences and has shown that shifting perspectives can work in a TV show.

If you know the context, yes. But if you're shown a scene full of characters you've never seen before and won't see again, I can imagine that many viewers would find it confusing. Especially since they have nothing to do with the story itself.

They're great and I enjoy those little interludes more than the main story itself. But in that kind of novel, it works. It adds a breadth to the story. In a TV series, probably not so much.

Socratov

2012-11-27, 04:32 AM

...of course it has him written all over it. He wrote it. I can't understand what you're trying to say by this sentence.

it's about his personal style: a dark story, heavily based on mythology (norse seems to be his favorite), with a touch of macabre and moral ambiguity...

The sandman turns the dial of macabre and darkness and moral ambiguity up to not just eleven, but 13! I sometimes wonder what he was smoking at the time, and most of those times I don't want to know. (some of the stuff in there is way too freaky). It's not that it's bad, some thoughts just scare the living daylights out of me. (as in how on earth did you come up with that? and comparable questions)

But it wouls have been better if I said that it doesn't sweat Neil Gaiman, it oozes him...

Selrahc

2012-11-28, 04:48 PM

So I suppose David Harewood is DeCarabas?

Joran

2012-11-28, 05:06 PM

Greetings from London Below (cast picture in spoiler)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uMGQi1Lp_yU/ULZ6iaYzwXI/AAAAAAAAoZk/gtCXeGzshzs/s640/photo+(6).JPG

So I suppose David Harewood is DeCarabas?

Correct:

Cast list from Neil Gaiman himself:

{table]James McAvoy | Richard
Natalie Dormer | Door
David Harewood | Marquis
Sophie Okonedo | Hunter
Benedict Cumberbatch | Islington
Anthony Head | Croup
David Schofield | Vandemar
Bernard Cribbins | Old Bailey
Romola Garai |Jessica
Christopher Lee | Earl of Earl's Court
Andrew Sachs | Tooley
George Harris | Abbot
Don Gilet | Fulingous, Ruislip, Blackfriar
Abdul Salis | Sable, Sump, Clarence, Homeless Man
Paul Chequer | Gary, Guard 2
Lucy Cohu | Lamia
Yasmin Paige | Anaesthesia, Tenant 2 – female, Match girl
Johnny Vegas | Lord Ratspeaker
Stephen Marcus |Varney, Homeless man, Letting agent, Guard 1
Karen Archer|Sylvia, Old Woman, Dream Hawker, Mother...[/table]

Sunfall

2012-11-29, 02:29 AM

*squee*

Oooh, this looks brilliant... Ha! Benedict Cumberbatch as Islington and Christopher Lee as the Earl - called it! :smallbiggrin:

This is gonna be epic!

Here's the press release (http://www.hypable.com/2012/11/28/neil-gaimans-neverwhere-recorded-for-radio-with-all-star-cast/). With a bit of gratuitous enthusiastic ranting thrown in. *squee*

And here's (http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2012/11/author-meets-world.html) what the master himself has to say.

The Succubus

2012-11-29, 04:24 AM

Although the name "Dirk Maggs" will be unfamiliar to some of you, he was the director of the radio adaptions of "Life, The Universe & Everything", "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" and "Mostly Harmless".

Neverwhere couldn't be in better hands.

Socratov

2012-11-29, 04:40 AM

read the blog. american Gods movie on it's way!

*dies of expectations*

Feytalist

2012-11-29, 04:52 AM

read the blog. american Gods movie on it's way!

*dies of expectations*

TV series, rather. Which is actually probably better.

I do like that cast list. I am so gonna be downloading those episodes after they air. Although... I don't really see Earl's Court as Christopher Lee-ish. We'll have to see how he pulls it off.

The Succubus

2012-11-29, 07:03 AM

oO

While I'm going to hope for the best for the TV series, I'm extremely doubtful as to how well it'll turn out.

Sunfall

2012-11-29, 08:00 AM

To be honest, I've got quite high hopes for it. Look what HBO made of Game of Thrones! And just as with Game, American Gods will have its own author on board...

What really gets to me is that there doesn't seem to be an official cast list yet. Shouldn't they have a cast by now if the thing is to go on in 2013? *getting all antsy*

Socratov

2012-11-29, 08:52 AM

BiblioRook

2012-11-30, 03:36 AM

Yes, both Anansi boys are definitely black.

Apparently Anansi Boys came close to becoming a movie once but Gaiman pulled the plug after executive meddling insisted on having a white-washed cast...
Kinda stupid considering Anansi himself was an African spider god

pita

2012-11-30, 09:25 AM

I have high hopes for this because Neil Gaiman has proved himself much more with adaptations than GRRM has. GRRM has had many works adapted, many of which sucked.
Neil Gaiman has had almost every work adapted, and the only one that sucked was my adaptation of "We can get them for you wholesale" that I did for film class.