With the second season of Prime Video’s Good Omens months behind us and the streaming giant’s take on Anansi Boys still awaiting its final release date, we’ve got some downtime before our next on-screen foray into the world of Neil Gaiman. Luckily, there’s a rich library of television shows and movies adapted from the very best Neil Gaiman stories. His dark fantasy world-building and whip-smart writing translate perfectly to the screen—from modern classics like American Gods and Coraline to hidden gems well worth your time. Here are some of our favorites.
Good Omens
A collaboration between Prime Video and the BBC, this ongoing television adaptation of Good Omens has become a fan favorite with good reason. The show centers on the unlikely longtime friendship between an angel, Aziraphale, and a demon, Crowley, who represent Heaven and Hell, respectively, on the Earthly plane. David Tennant stars as Crowley alongside Michael Sheen, who portrays Aziraphale, and the pair could not be more perfectly cast. Though they’re meant to be enemies, the two otherworldly beings have grown quite fond of each other's company and the planet they live on. So, when they're informed Armageddon is fast approaching, they team up to prevent the end times so they can continue living their lives unchanged. Tennant and Sheen make the roles their own, while capturing all the delicious, goofy joy of the source material.
Coraline
The 2009 stop-motion adaptation of Gaiman's novella of the same name has received wide praise from fans and critics alike. The animated film follows the titular character, Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning), a girl who's just moved to a new town. When she discovers a secret door in her house that leads her to a seemingly perfect alternate universe, she eagerly begins to explore this new world, unaware of its sinister secrets and dangers. The film also features the voice talents of Robert Bailey Jr. and Keith David as Coraline's new friends, and Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman as Coraline's parents in both dimensions.
The Sandman
One of Neil Gaiman's most famous and beloved works, The Sandman comic series ran from 1989 to 1996. Though various studios began attempts to adapt the series as far back as 1991, it languished in development for decades. Adaptation efforts finally came to fruition in 2022, when Netflix released the first season of The Sandman. Morpheus, also known as Dream, is one of seven all-powerful beings collectively called “the Endless.” After 100 years of confinement due to a cult ritual, Morpheus is freed and makes it his mission to restore peace to the realm he rules over—the Dreaming. Tom Sturridge stars as Morpheus, with Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, and Patton Oswalt playing other inhabitants of the Dreaming. The comic's eerie, haunting visuals translate beautifully to the screen.
Lucifer
Before Netflix's 2022 release of The Sandman, there were several series based on the world and cosmology of the comics that weren't strict adaptations. Lucifer, which ran for six seasons from 2016 to 2021, is loosely based on the Lucifer character created by Gaiman for DC comics in The Sandman series. Tom Ellis stars as Lucifer, who, despite being the devil, leaves Hell to run an LA nightclub. Nothing has prepared him for living in a bustling city among humans, and he gets into a lot of trouble.
American Gods
American Gods, an action-packed urban fantasy about a secret war between two factions of powerful gods, ran for three seasons on Starz. The show, based on Gaiman's 2001 novel of the same name, is full of what makes Gaiman's work so appealing to so many—humor, whimsy, a healthy dose of chaos, and a satisfying blend of magic and reality. Ricky Whittle stars as Shadow Moon, who, upon his release from prison, meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (portrayed by Ian McShane) who offers him a job on the spot. Soon, Shadow Moon finds himself in the middle of a dangerous war between the Old Gods and the New Gods.
Stardust
For Gaiman fans who enjoy a dash of romance alongside whimsy and adventure, the 2007 film adaptation of the 1999 novel Stardust is sure to please. Tristan, played by Daredevil’s Charlie Cox, is a young man from a small English town that just happens to border the magical kingdom of Stormhold. Tristan ventures into Stormhold to collect a fallen star to offer to his beloved in exchange for marriage. To his surprise, he discovers that the star is actually a woman named Yvaine—and that's just the first twist in his plan, which soon goes sideways. The star-studded ensemble cast also includes Claire Danes, Sienna Miller, Rupert Everett, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, and Ian McKellen.
Neverwhere
While books get adapted into films and television series all the time, it's a lot less common when it's an on-screen series that then gets the literary treatment. But that's exactly what happened here—Gaiman wrote the screenplay for this 1996 miniseries, which he later turned into a novel of the same name. It's set in a magical version of London ("London Below") that exists alongside the London of the real world ("London Above"). Over the course of six episodes, the protagonist Richard Mayhew (Gary Bakewell), finds himself suddenly and inexplicably trapped in London Below after helping an injured young woman he encounters on the street.
MirrorMask
MirrorMask is another screenplay written by Gaiman that was later adapted—this time, into an audio-first novella. The 2005 film follows Helena Campbell (played by Stephanie Leonidas, who also narrates the novella), a young circus performer who longs to flee the family business for an ordinary life, much to the displeasure of her mother, Joanne (Gina McKee). Soon, Helena gets drawn into a mysterious, magical world of monsters and performers unlike any she's ever met. Though not as well-known as some other Gaiman adaptations, this dark, enthralling film and its audio counterpart are truly something special.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
This 2017 film is based on the 2006 short story of the same name, which appears in the collection Fragile Things. It's a science fiction romance adventure about Enn, a punk whose life is thrown into turmoil when he meets a group of teenagers from a different planet visiting Earth as part of a coming-of-age ritual. Enn soon falls hard for one of the aliens, and the two end up on an adventure through 1970s London, with far-reaching consequences for both their worlds. On screen, Elle Fanning and Alex Sharp lead an ensemble cast that also includes Nicole Kidman and Matt Lucas. A bit more lighthearted than some of Gaiman's other work, this film is definitely a winner if you're looking for a zany, fun-filled romp.
