Disney halts 'The Graveyard Book' adaptation amid Neil Gaiman sexual assault allegations

Disney has put the brakes on its upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" amidst sexual assault allegations against the author.

 While the film is not canceled entirely, development has been halted due to various factors, including the serious claims against Gaiman.   

The movie, based on Gaiman's 2008 novel, was set to be directed by Marc Forster but hadn't yet entered pre-production. Gaiman himself was not involved in the film's development.   

The allegations against Gaiman surfaced in a July 3rd report by Tortoise Media, detailing accounts of sexual assault from two women. One woman alleges Gaiman assaulted her in 2022 while she was working as his nanny, while the other claims a non-consensual encounter occurred in 2003. Gaiman denies any unlawful behavior.   

Following the initial report, three additional women came forward with their own accusations against Gaiman. A police investigation is currently underway in New Zealand regarding one of the allegations.   

Disney declined to comment on the situation. The news of the film's pause was first reported by IndieWire.