Neil Gaiman has had an illustrious writing career, spanning novels, movies and even episodes of fairly popular television shows (like BBC’s long-running Doctor Who). American Gods, Gaiman’s Hugo Award winning fantasy novel, even has an upcoming television adaptation due to premiere on Starz in 2017 with Gaiman himself as an executive producer. Simply put, Gaiman is busier than he’s ever been.
With as many current projects that Gaiman is currently involved with, it’s hard to imagine that he would have room for anything else on his plate. However, it was recently announced that Gaiman is currently in the process of bringing something else to life, giving further credence to the idea that the man simply doesn’t sleep.
According to Deadline, Gaiman will co-develop the fantasy television series The Building for 20th Century Fox TV and Angry Films. The show is based on the 2015 film Parallels, which was released exclusively on Netflix’s streaming service by Fox and written and directed by Chris Leone. Leone himself will serve as the other developer of The Building and is listed as an executive producer with Gaiman, while show running duties will fall to Albert Kim.
Parallels focused on a building that would transport those inside to alternate realities where history didn’t exactly play out like it does on our Earth. Some are more hostile and extremely dangerous, while others are more technologically proficient. The catch is, the infinite amount of alternate realities makes it a near impossibility for those who travel with the building to find their way back home. While the film never really explored the building’s origins, The Building will apparently dive into that story. A television show would give the creators ample opportunity to go down such avenues.
The Building seems tailor-made for television, with a rich mythology and endless opportunities for a variety of different stories, both standalone and longer arcs. With Gaiman around presumably to offer up his own expertise and creativity, this show could potentially be a hit for Fox. With the recent track record for more original (or at least something without years of material to draw from, like comic book shows) science fiction and fantasy television, it would be a welcome change of pace for The Building to prove successful among fans and critics.
There’s currently no information about casting for the show, or if original characters Ronan and Beatrix Carver (portrayed by Mark Hapka and Jessica Rothe in Parallels) will return. In fact, other than the plot details and the fact that it's being developed, there's not a whole lot of other information. This is certainly expected, given how early along the project seems to be.
We will keep you updated as information for The Building develops.
Source: Deadline