Disney suspends film “The Graveyard Book” after assault allegations against Neil Gaiman

Disney is pausing its adaptation of “The Graveyard Book” after allegations of sexual assault were made against the book’s author, Neil Gaiman.

While director Marc Forster's film was not scrapped entirely, development was halted for various reasons, including the allegations about Gaiman.

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“The Graveyard Book” was released in 2008 and is about a young boy who is raised by graveyard ghosts after his family is murdered. The film was not yet in the pre-production phase and there was no confirmed cast. Gaiman was not involved in the film.

In a July 3 report by Tortoise Media, the creator of “Sandman” was accused of sexually abusing a then 18-year-old woman named K in 2003 and a 23-year-old woman named Scarlett in 2022.

Scarlett claims Gaiman sexually assaulted her in a bathroom at his home in New Zealand, where she was working as a nanny for his child. According to Tortoise's report, “Gaiman's statement says they were only 'cuddling' and 'making out' in the bathroom and that he gave his consent.” He says he and Scarlett had a three-week sexual relationship during which they only practiced consensual digital penetration. Scarlett claims Gaiman “performed rough and degrading penetrative sexual acts on her” within their otherwise consensual relationship, according to Tortoise.

This incident led to a complaint being filed against Gaiman with police in New Zealand, where authorities are currently conducting an investigation.

The other woman, K, says she met Gaiman at a book signing in Sarasota, Florida, in 2003 when she was 18. She claims she began a romantic relationship with Gaiman when she was 20 and he was in his mid-40s, but that it involved rough and painful sex that she “neither wanted nor enjoyed,” according to Tortoise. Gaiman has denied any unlawful conduct toward K.

Tortoise released a podcast series detailing the allegations, and in subsequent episodes three more women came forward with allegations of their own.

Disney declined to comment.

IndieWire first reported the news.

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