Deadline is reporting that Fremantle North America has tapped Neil Gaiman (American Gods) and Akiva Goldsman (Star Trek: Discovery) to develop a TV adaptation of British author Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast book series.
“There is nothing in literature like Mervyn Peake’s remarkable Gormenghast novels,” said Gaiman. “They were crafted by a master, who was also an artist, and they take us to an ancient castle as big as a city, with heroes and villains and people larger than life that are impossible to forget. There is a reason why there were two trilogies that lovers of the fantasy genre embraced in the Sixties: Lord of the Rings, and the Gormenghast books. It’s an honor to have been given the opportunity to help shepherd Peake’s brilliant and singular vision to the screen.”
“Nothing combines a dark atmosphere with humor and intrigue the way that Gormenghast does. It’s one of the most eccentric and vividly imagined universes ever created,” added Dante Di Loreto, President of Scripted Entertainment, FremantleMedia North America. “We’re excited to continue our relationship with Neil and the producing team assembled for this project is ideal to explore the series’ perfect mix of humor, pathos and tragedy.”
The first two books in the series – which revolved around the inhabitants of Castle Gormenghast – were previously adapted by the BBC as a four part series in 2000, with Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Christopher Lee featuring in the cast. This new take will be executive produced by Gaiman and Goldsman, as well as Barry Spikings (The Deer Hunter) and David Stern (Howards End).
In addition to serving as an executive producer on Starz’s American Gods, Gaiman is also working on a TV adaptation of his and Terry Pratchett’s novel Good Omens, which is set to air in 2019 and stars David Tennant and Michael Sheen.
Via Deadline