Neil Gaiman is one of the most acclaimed authors in the world. He is a bestselling writer who has worked across multiple genres. He’s written full-length novels, children’s books, and comic books and has even done some screenwriting. With such a wide range of works, it’s no surprise that several of his books have been chosen for a film or TV adaptation.
Update September 8, 2023: Following the release of Good Omens season 2, this article has been updated with even more great adaptations of Gaiman's work.
While their success varies - sometimes they are perfect realizations of novels, while other times they take too many creative liberties for the fans to enjoy - Gaiman's works keep getting adapted. And, with many titles still yet to make it to the screen, it's safe to say his work will keep getting adapted for years to come. So, with Good Omens season two hitting screens earlier this year and the second season of The Sandman currently in development, now seems like the perfect time to take a look at the best adaptations of his work.
8 How to Talk to Girls at Parties
2017 sci-fi romance How to Talk to Girls at Parties is one of the weaker adaptations of Gaiman's work. Based on the writer's short story of the same name, the film takes place against the backdrop of the 1970s punk rock craze and follows a teenage boy called Enn (Alex Sharp) who falls for an attractive and rebellious alien girl named Zan (Elle Fanning). The cast also includes Nicole Kidman, Ruth Wilson, and Matt Lucas.
Directed by John Cameron Mitchell, whose previous work includes the critically acclaimed film adaptation of Hedwig and the Angry Itch, the movie should've been a certified success. While it's undoubtedly fun and has one or two great moments, unfortunately, it's just nowhere near as good as its source material. It may be a lackluster Gaiman adaptation, but a poor Gaiman adaptation is still worth a watch.
7 Lucifer
Lucifer is a very popular adaptation of Gaiman’s work, but it is also a tricky one. The show is an adaptation of the Lucifer comic, which was a spin-off of Gaiman's Sandman, yet he did not write for that comic series. The television series itself is a very loose adaptation of the original comic. Essentially, Lucifer, who is DC’s version of the Devil, grows bored with Hell and leaves in direct defiance of his father. He settles in LA instead, where he runs a nightclub and becomes a consultant for the police department as he uses his supernatural abilities to figure out people’s deepest desires and solve the cases.
Though Lucifer is a DC character, the show seems to exist in a universe of its own, not bringing in any of the other Sandman characters or even any DC superheroes (although the character does cameo in Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event). It had its ups and downs, too, starting on Fox for three seasons before declining viewership led to its initial cancellation, and then was picked up by Netflix for another three seasons, where it remained a hit. Critics tended to praise Tom Ellis for his performance as Lucifer but criticized that it was just another crime procedural show, believing they could have done more with the characters and unique storyline.
6 DC Showcase: Death
Much like Lucifer, the animated short film DC Showcase: Death focuses on a popular character from the Sandman comics. In this case, it's the eponymous Death, voiced here by Jamie Chung. Released in 2019 as an accompaniment to the home media version of Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, it follows a troubled, struggling artist named Vincent who is haunted by the demons of his past.
He has a few chance encounters with a mysterious woman dressed as a Goth, who soon becomes the subject of his artwork. However, as time begins to stop around him, Vincent realizes that the woman is in fact, Death itself. Directed by Sam Liu, DC Showcase: Death is an affecting and beautifully realized adaptation of one of Gaiman's most beloved characters.
5 American Gods
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The three-season show American Gods was made for Starz network, bringing the Neil Gaiman books of the same name to life. The main character, Shadow Moon, is released from prison a few days earlier than intended to attend his wife’s funeral. On the way home, he discovers a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday, accepting a job offer from him upon finding his old job no longer exists. He then finds himself in a previously hidden world, not only discovering that magic is real but also finding a brewing conflict between the Old Gods and New Gods.
The first season was, arguably, the best season the show had. It fell off in season two in both plot and viewership and though it began a comeback in season three, it was canceled before the rest of Gaiman’s five-season plan could continue. Still, as it brought the book to life in some surprising and unexpected ways, what we do see of the book is still a great experience for fans.
4 Stardust
Stardust is a romantic fantasy adventure movie that remains faithful to the Neil Gaiman books. The King of Stormhold throws a ruby into the sky before he dies, proclaiming that his successor would be the first of his sons to recover it. It hits a star when it goes up, and both come crashing back down to the ground. The main character, Tristan, sees the falling star and vows to retrieve it in order to win Victoria’s hand in marriage. However, he’s in for a surprise when he meets the star, Yvaine, and the trouble she brings as he tries to take her back to his home.
The movie combines multiple genres without a hitch, capturing not only the heart of the story as it does but the exact kind of humor and tone of the Neil Gaiman books, as well. It received positive reviews from critics and became a cult classic. It could be due to Gaiman’s insistence on being a part of the movie’s development, no matter how small. It went on to receive a Saturn Award nomination for Best Fantasy film and won best Dramatic Presentation (long-form) from the Hugo Awards.
3 The Sandman
The Netflix series The Sandman kicked off in 2022 and was instantly a hit. Like the comics it's based on, the show follows Morpheus, or Dream (played by Tom Sturridge), the human embodiment of dreams who, after escaping decades of imprisonment, sets off on a quest to retrieve his valued possessions. Upon returning to his own realm, he discovers that the Dreaming is in ruins and, therefore, sets about restoring it. The Sandman features an ensemble cast that includes Boyd Holdbrook, Patton Oswalt, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Gwendoline Christie, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Stephen Fry, and many others.
The first season was warmly received by both critics and fans of the comics alike, who praised its inventive storytelling, acting performances, and its faithfulness to the source material. Over the years, many attempts have been made to bring The Sandman to the screen, but none of them were successful. Gaiman fans can sleep easier knowing that they now have a TV version of The Sandman that's nearly as good as the comics. Season two may be temporarily halted due to the SAG strike, but rest assured, there's still lots to look forward to.
2 Good Omens
Amazon Prime picked up Good Omens to produce alongside BBC Studios. The angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and the demon Crowley (David Tennant) are longtime acquaintances, meeting for the first time at the Garden of Eden and often crossing paths throughout the course of human history. After they find out that the Antichrist has been delivered to Earth and brings the promise of Armageddon, they realize they’ve grown to like Earth after living there for so long and decide to work together to try and prevent its destruction.
The show was a success after the release of season one, following the Neil Gaiman book pretty closely, with only a few scenes cut for the sake of time. Though some critics seemed to believe it could have benefited from a few more changes from the source material, fans of the book immediately loved it. It became so popular that, despite season one covering the entirety of the book, the show was renewed for a second season. Released in 2023, season two sees Aziraphale and Crowley once again reuniting, this time to try to solve the mystery of how the Archangel Gabriel (John Hamm) came to lose his memories. Though it may lack the originality of the first season, season two of Good Omens still has all the witty dialogue, quirky humor, and frenetic energy that made the show such a fun watch in the first place. Here's hoping for a third season.
1 Coraline
Coraline is a stop-motion horror film based on the children’s book of the same name. The main character, Coraline, is struggling to adapt to her new life as her parents neglect her. She finds a small door in their apartment that, at first, only opens to reveal a brick wall but later becomes a portal to a seemingly perfect parallel universe. Things in the Other World are not what they seem, however, as what appears to be the perfect world to Coraline is actually a trick to try and get her to stay in the fantasy forever.
There are a few key differences made from the Neil Gaiman book to the movie in order to help the plot, but overall, it was a pretty faithful adaptation. It was an overwhelming success, perfectly capturing the story Gaiman had written while keeping the same terrifying tone throughout the movie. Its universal acclaim led to it being the third highest-grossing stop-motion movie of all time, and it continues to scare audiences to this day, regardless of whether they have watched it before or not. The movie was nominated for several best-animated film awards, including the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs, and the Golden Globes.