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Editor’s note: Bill Mechanic is chairman and CEO of Pandemonium Films and a former top executive at Paramount and Disney and chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment. He also is a former producer of the Oscars and Oscar-nominated films like Hacksaw Ridge and Coraline. He also is a teller of hard truths to whom Deadline turns when nobody else will speak up on a hot-button issue. That certainly is the case right now, a day after President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social how he plans to “fix” runaway production by imposing tariffs on films and TV shows that film outside the U.S. The common refrain today has been that a film business finally on its firmest footing since Covid doesn’t need a force to destabilize the hard-won forward momentum. Mechanic takes it a step further, questioning Trump’s motives behind a power play that puts Hollywood on its heels,...

If last year was any indication, there is a huge audience for re-releases, especially of those films that are aimed directly at a millennial audience. The theory is being proven true yet again, with Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithmelting records in celebration of its 20th anniversary. The movie was re-launched in theaters this week, where it exceeded all expectations and outperformed the brand-new release, The Accountant 2, starring Ben Affleck. It also grossed around twice as much as Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace did in its own re-opening weekend last year.

Revenge of the Sithhas now passed the $400 million mark at the domestic box office, thanks to the $25 million that it made this weekend. The movie made an additional $17 million from overseas territories, for a cumulative re-release debut of $42 million. Globally, the film’s total haul is nearing the $900 million mark. Revenge of...

While Ryan Coogler's Sinners drew most of the attention this weekend for its stupendous box office performance, spare a thought for Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, which is breaking its own records two decades after its initial release. The third installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy generated $11.3 million on its first day back in theaters, in celebration of its 20th anniversary. The movie is expected to gross anywhere between $25 million and $30 million this weekend, which would put it ahead of Ben Affleck's The Accountant 2 — a remarkable result that proves the current cultural potency of the theatrical experience, if Sinners hadn't already.

Anything above $30.2 million would put Revenge of the Sith atop the list of the modern era's biggest re-release debuts, ahead of The Lion King. For context, The Lion King ended up grossing over $185 million globally in its 2011 re-release. Already, Revenge of...

Countless horror fans are often born after stumbling upon a scary movie they weren't supposed to watch as a child. It's a rite of passage that I can very much attest to. But at the same time, the genre can provide written and visual gateways for younger viewers that may have that same curiosity but aren't quite ready to dive headfirst into the harder stuff. For some, it's "Gremlins." For others, it's "Coraline." But for an entire generation of '90s children, there was nothing like picking up a "Goosebumps" book.

The long-running children's novel series from author R.L. Stine often made an impression before the reader even flipped through its pages on account of Tim Jacobus' stunning cover art. Inside were stories of kids coming across all sorts of creepy happenings imagined by Stine, be it a haunted mask, monster blood, or a cursed ventriloquist dummy. "Goosebumps" didn't have...

Laika's latest ambitious stop-motion adventure, Wildwood, will now be hitting theaters later than expected. Although it was initially planned to finally release in 2025, the studio has now confirmed to ComicBook.com that the long-gestating adaptation of the novel by Colin Meloy will not see the light of day until sometime in 2026. It's the latest twist for a film that has been in development since 2011, began production back in 2021, and only just last year received its first teaser. Hailing from CEO Travis Knight, who also previously directed Bumblebee and Kubo and the Two Strings, it will mark the animation company's sixth feature film production and their first in seven years after Missing Link in 2019.

That Wildwood is taking so long isn't necessarily surprising, given that stop-motion is a notoriously difficult medium to work with and, according to Knight, this project is particularly complicated. It's based on the first title in a wider...

Film Distributors’ Association chief executive officer Andy Leyshon has hailed the year-on-year increase in UK-Ireland admissions and box office achieved in 2024, “no matter how slim”.

UK and Irish annual admissions improved by 2.3% to 138 million while box office was up by 0.2% to £1.065bn in 2024 (vs. £1.063bn in 2023). It marked a fourth consecutive year of box-office growth.

“We rose to number three in the global rankings and kept the upward trajectory going, where most countries witnessed a downturn. We’ve also seen 2025 starting very well – again, better than many other territories – and the market is currently predicted to come in 9-10% up on last year,...

John Wick lives. Lionsgate is in the works on a new “John Wick” movie, but the character will come back to the big screen for a prequel film that will also for the first time be an animated film, IndieWire can exclusively report. Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, is set to announce the film as part of its CinemaCon presentation in front of theater owners on Tuesday, April 1.

And it’s not for kids either. Expect the Wick movie to be as highly stylized, action-heavy, and aimed at mature audiences as any of the live-action films.

The untitled animated feature will flash back to before the events of the first “John Wick” movie from 2014 and will look at how Wick worked to complete the fabled “Impossible Task” that has been teased in the franchise. It will depict the ordeal that required Wick to kill all of his rivals in one night,...

2009's stop-motion animated classic "Coraline," adapting Neil Gaiman's 2002 novella of the same name, remains widely beloved years after its debut. A dark fantasy story that has its eponymous protagonist escape her reality to a strange otherworldly realm, "Coraline" masterfully toes the line between childhood wonder and more sinister elements. Though wonderfully singular in its own way, there are a number of movies similar to "Coraline," some also stop-motion animated and some not. There is an honest adolescent vulnerability to the 2009 movie that has been touched on in different but recognizable ways by quite a few movies both before and since.

What so many of these movies like "Coraline" share is a sense of discovery into the fantastic, often in the face of the mundane back in conventional reality. Despite being ostensibly oriented for children, these movies aren't afraid to lean into more mature and melancholic themes. A good children's...

Almost a month to the day that Neil Gaiman was hit with rape, human trafficking and more allegations by a former nanny to his son, the Good Omens showrunner and Sandman creator says the claims are “a sham,” and shouldn’t even be addressed by U.S. courts.

Spitting out that the allegations, seeking $1 million, are simply “the culmination of her plan to maximize adverse publicity against Gaiman, a well-known author” for an “unjust financial settlement,” Gaiman wants the whole thing from Scarlett Pavlovich against him and estranged wife Amanda Palmer tossed out.

“In no uncertain terms, Pavlovich’s accusations are false,” a brief in support of motion to dismiss filed Tuesday in federal court in Wisconsin proclaims in language similar to blog post reactions he issued to such allegations last year. “The sexual scenarios she describes deliberately in graphic detail are invented. Any sexual conduct that occurred was in all ways consensual.

Neil Gaimanhas responded to the allegations of abuse leveled against him by a former babysitter, with a new court declaration revealing several messages sent to him by his accuser, Scarlett Pavlovich. The Sandman author has always denied the charges against him and his estranged wife, Amanda Palmer, since the pair were sued for alleged sexual assault and trafficking.

As per Variety, Gaiman wrote in his declaration, “None of Pavlovich’s claims are true. She is a fantasist who has fabricated a tale of abuse against me and Ms. Palmer.”

To support his case, Gaiman provided numerous messages that he had received from Pavlovich which painted a very different picture to that which has been recounted in court documents. While Gaiman has not denied intimate encounters with the plaintiff, he says that the messages prove that those were completely consensual. One message from February 2022 from Pavlovich reads:

“Thank you for a lovely lovely night – wow x.

Fumi Kitahara, a widely respected animation publicist who helped steer award-winning campaigns for studios including DreamWorks, Aardman, Laika, Netflix, and Disney, passed away on Monday due to complications from a rare form of blood cancer, her family announced. She was 56.

“Dear Friends of Fumi,” the family wrote. “We’re devastated to share that our dear Fumi passed away this afternoon, February 24, after her long struggle with a rare blood cancer. She was surrounded by the love of her family and close friends.”

Signed “Simon, Max & the Kitahara Family,” the joint statement continued, “We know many of you will be as heartbroken as we are in saying goodbye to her unforgettable personality, her infectious smile, and her warm and loving heart. This is an unimaginable loss for us, our family, and the animation community. Thank you for the love, support, and friendship you have shown her over the years. She meant the world to so many.

Fumi Kitahara, the animation publicist who guided award-winning campaigns for DreamWorks, Aardman, Laika, Netflix, Disney and independent studios during her distinguished 30-plus years in the industry, has died. She was 56.

Kitahara died Monday in Los Angeles of complications related to her long battle with a rare blood cancer, a spokesperson for Walt Disney Animation announced.

Among the many acclaimed animated features she helped to publicize are the first three Shrek films, Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, How to Train Your Dragon, Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, Over the Moon and The Sea Beast.

She also oversaw the awards campaigns for numerous Oscar-winning shorts, including such recent titles as The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse and War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko.

Born on March 2, 1968, Kitahara graduated from California State University Northridge with a degree in business marketing.

Fumi Kitahara, a respected publicity executive who guided award-winning campaigns for studios including DreamWorks, Aardman, Laika, Netflix and Disney, died Monday of complications related to a rare blood cancer. She was 56.

Among the features Kitahara helped publicize are the first three “Shrek” films, “Chicken Run,” “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Coraline,” “Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Over the Moon” and “The Sea Beast.”

She oversaw awards campaigns for Oscar-winning shorts such as “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse,” and “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko.”

Kitahara graduated from Cal State Northridge and started her career in 1992 at Walt Disney Studios in the office of Howard Green, working with him on features including “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Toy Story,” and “Frank and Ollie,” in addition to a variety of live-action titles.

With the ongoing allegations and lawsuit against disgraced author Neil Gaiman, many upcoming adaptations of his works have been shelved by their respective studios. One such series was Dead Boy Detectives, a spin-off from Netflix's The Sandman universe, which premiered last year. The series was a hit for the streamer, holding a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But, it was one of the first shows to be axed when Gaiman was first accused of sexual misconduct and assault in early August, and Dead Boy Detectives Season 2 (among other adaptations) was canceled the same month.

Fans of the series mourned the loss, desperate to see Charles Rowland and Edwin Payne return to our screens for another season. Thankfully, that wish has been granted, just not in the way we might have hoped. The Dead Boy Detectives will return, making their final appearance in Season 2 of The Sandman — which will be the flagship series' last.

Nosferatu Worldwide Box Office: Is At The End Of Its Theatrical Run ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Nosferatu bested successful horror flicks, including Smile 2 and Speak No Evil, at the worldwide box office. Read on for more. It has surpassed the horror flick Longlegs and is only behind A Quiet Place Day: Day One and Alien: Romulus. The digital release impacted the film’s box-office performance. However, the movie is ending its domestic run short of a major box office milestone. Keep scrolling for more.

The film by Robert Eggers performed really well at the theatres and stayed in the top five of the domestic box office chart. It is a notable feat because the film was facing several biggies and PG films while it is an R-rated movie. It clashed with A Complete Unknown and Babygirl as they all came out on the same day. However, this gothic horror romance...

Animation director Shannon Tindle grew up a fan of Ultraman, Eiji Tsuburaya’s giant red-and-silver alien hero who first began defending Tokyo against giant monsters (or kaiju) on the 1966 TV show bearing the character’s name. In the years since, Ultraman appeared in numerous comics, films, and television series, his look, backstory, and ambitions evolving with the decades. Sometimes, the character starred in stories for children; on other occasions, his exploits were designed to appeal to fans of tokusatsu, live-action films that heavily use practical special effects.

As far back as 2001, Tindle had toyed with the idea of making an Ultraman-inspired film that centered the character as a reluctant father to a baby kaiju. After working on such successful animated projects as the Oscar-nominated Coraline, the Emmy-winning Lost Ollie, and the twice Oscar-nominated Kubo and the Two Strings, he finally found his opportunity to...

The Black Phone was one of the best movies of 2022 and one of the best horror films of the decade so far, but it was almost completely self-contained. Things seemed wrapped up in a truly satisfactory way by the end of the movie, and the villain (played to perfection by Ethan Hawke) seemed completely dead. The film's acclaimed director, Scott Derrickson, put his heart and soul into The Black Phone, which was a very personal and cathartic experience for him. He didn't have a sequel in mind whatsoever. And yet, The Black Phone 2 finished filming at the end of January. What happened?

Well, part of it has to do with Derrickson's new film, The Gorge, which debuts Feb. 14 on Apple TV+. The Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy movie is a genre-blending concoction that works as both a wild horror movie and a sweet romance that represents dating in modern times.

For practically the past century, Disney has crafted some of the most beloved films on the big screen. Utilizing animated artistry and brilliant visual storytelling, The Walt Disney Company has enchanted and delighted entire generations.

That said, as much as we adore our favorite princesses and cartoon characters, there's something truly remarkable when the artists and filmmakers have free reign, resulting in some delightfully bizarre features. Disney+ has nearly the entire filmography of the animation studio and then some, but here are our picks for just how weird things can get at the house of mouse.

Fantasia (1940)

What better way to begin this list than with Disney's first art house film? Presented in "Fantasound" in 1940, Walt Disney's concert feature blended famous pieces of classical music with animation magic. Although this combo resulted in iconic sequences like "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," it also gave the artists permission to experiment.

Look at the visuals of "Toccata in Fuge,...

Amanda Palmer is speaking out on accusations against her and her ex-husband, Neil Gaiman.

Gaiman, who’s written Coraline, The Sandman and several other works that have been developed into films and TV shows, was sued on Monday for sexual assault, human trafficking and battery by Scarlett Pavlovich, his former nanny, who lived with his family, including their son. While working as the family’s nanny, Pavlovich alleges Gaiman assaulted her multiple times. And Pavlovich claims she told Palmer, who she says was not shocked and allegedly knew of past incidents of abuse.

On Friday, Palmer took to Instagram to address the allegations in a written post: “I thank you all for continuing to respect my recent request for privacy as I navigate this extremely difficult moment. I must protect my young child and his right to privacy.”

Palmer continued: “With that as my priority, I will not respond to...

Neil Gaiman’s ex-wife Amanda Palmer has denied allegations of negligence and human trafficking, after being named in a lawsuit filed by a former female employee of the couple.

Earlier this week, civil lawsuits were filed in the US against the formerly married couple, with their former New Zealand nanny Scarlett Pavlovich alleging that Gaiman had committed assault, battery and inflicted emotional distress (which he denies), and also alleging Palmer’s negligence and involvement in trafficking.

Now BBC news reports that Palmer has taken to social media to deny in broad terms the complaints made against her, while saying she would not respond to specific allegations.

Palmer wrote on Instagram:

“I thank you all deeply for continuing to respect my recent request for privacy as I navigate this extremely difficult moment. I must protect my young child and his right to privacy.

“With that as my priority, I will...

Known for her impeccable attention to detail both on and off the screen, Dakota Fanning once admitted, “I like everything perfect. Everything has to be neat… My shoes are all arranged. It’s sad. I’m a little like Ray, a little bit” (Los Angeles Times). This meticulous nature extends to her effortlessly polished style, whether she’s on the red carpet or running errands.

At 5’4″ (162.6 cm)—or 5’5″ (165.1 cm), depending on the interview—Dakota Fanning knows how to use heels to elongate her frame, favoring timeless designs from luxury brands like Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo.

Dakota Fanning toting a Bottega Veneta Jodie allover bubble top-handle bag at the opening night of the new Sphere Las Vegas event space on September 29, 2023 (Credit: Michael Simon / Startraksphoto)

How Dakota Fanning Uses Heels to Elevate Her Petite Frame

“I’m a shorter person, so I’ll see something and think, ‘That looks amazing!

Seven months after Tortoise Media brought sexual abuse allegations against Neil Gaiman to light in July 2024, a formal lawsuit has finally been filed against the author. Variety reports that Scarlett Pavlovich, the New Zealand babysitter who claimed Gaiman sexually abused her within hours of their first meeting in 2020, is accusing the author of repeated rape. The suit also names Gaiman's wife, Dresden Dolls singer Amanda Palmer, claiming she was aware of Gaiman's history of sexual misconduct. Both Gaiman and Palmer are being accused of human trafficking.

Pavlovich was the first woman whose story was featured on the Tortoise Media reports, but many horrifying new details of what she went through were revealed just last month in a deeply disturbing exposé in New York Magazine. She was hired by Palmer to watch her and Gaiman's young son in 2020, when Gaiman and Palmer were living in separate homes in New Zealand. Pavlovich...

Author Neil Gaiman and his estranged wife Amanda Palmer were sued in federal cases filed in New York, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts on Monday by their former nanny, who accused the author of rape and sexual assault. The suits also accused Palmer of “procuring and presenting the Plaintiff to Gaiman for such abuse.”

The suits from plaintiff Scarlett Pavlovich, which were obtained by Rolling Stone, follow a bombshell report from New York Magazine, where she and seven women claimed Gaiman had sexually assaulted, abused, and were forced into non-consensual sex.

In the Wisconsin filing,...

After months of horrific allegations of sexual misconduct, The Sandman creator Neil Gaiman has been taken to court in a trio of states on allegations of rape, human trafficking and more by a former New Zealand nanny of his and musician Amanda Palmer’s son.

“This claim arises out of Defendant Neil Gaiman’s sexual abuse of Plaintiff, and his wife Amanda Palmer’s role in procuring and presenting Plaintiff to Gaiman for such abuse,” states a rape and human trafficking complaint filed in federal court Monday in Wisconsin by Scarlett Pavlovich. “Gaiman has a decades-long history of sexual misconduct consistent with the actions that will be described in the following paragraphs,” the 28-page nine claim action adds, with vivid detail including a sodomy rape of “slave” Pavlovich by Gaiman just three years ago.

Seeking at least $1 million and a jury trial, the case’s details align with the deeply...

Allegations surrounding Neil Gaiman have led to The Sandman being cancelled at Netflix after two just seasons.

Netflix’s adaptation of the legendary comic book series The Sandman is to be cancelled after its upcoming second season. This was revealed when Netflix unveiled a new poster for the show. The original run of comic books certainly had enough material for The Sandman to run long past two seasons, but Netflix has decided to end the TV adaptation regardless.

According to Variety, the public fall from grace of series author Neil Gaiman actually has little to do with Netflix’s decision to end the show, with plans already in place to cancel it after two seasons. That was even before Gaiman’s public reputation was called into question (three words and a whole lot of understatement there).

There’s evidence to back this up too: the streamer didn’t immediately commission a follow-up to season one,...

When it comes to the BAFTA Award for Best British Short Animation, the National Film and Television School (Nfts) is almost synonymous with success – it’s hard to think of a year when one of their graduation films wasn’t nominated. Over the past decade, filmmakers like Daisy Jacobs, Nina Gantz, and Paloma Baeza have all taken home the award. Hoping to follow in their footsteps in 2025 is recent graduate José Prats, whose film Adiós is a contender this year and stood out to us as one of the highlights of the Nfts’ 2024 graduate showcase. The grounded story of a father struggling to accept his adult son’s decision to move abroad, told through tactile stop motion, Adiós obviously carries personal significance for Prats, a Spanish director who came to the UK to study. In our conversation, he shares the inspiration behind his short, his shift from 2D animation to...

is The Sandman coming back for season three? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The Sandman has been one of the most successful shows in recent times. The series, which is based on the graphic novels of the same name by Neil Gaiman, opened to largely favorable reviews across the globe. The Sandman premiered in 2022 and fans have been anticipating a sequel ever since.

The show’s production came to a half due to the SAG-AFTRA strike but it was resumed between June 2023 and August 2024. As fans eagerly awaited news on the sequel, they were hit with the shocking news of a sexual assault scandal by author Neil Gaiman. The British writer, who has several books and accolades to his name, stunned the community when Vogue released a detailed account of his heinous activities as claimed by several women.

Come February 1, 2025, Netflix has released an update for The Sandman. The show will have...

Netflix has announced that The Sandman, its series based on the graphic novels by Neil Gaiman, will conclude with its upcoming second season.

While other streaming services, comic book publishers, and theater groups have severed ties with the author, who is accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, Season 2 of The Sandman remained in production following its renewal back in November 2022, over a year and a half before the allegations against Gaiman first surfaced.

On Friday, Netflix confirmed that The Sandman would return for its second season in 2025, but that...

The Netflix series "The Sandman," an adaptation of the famous fantasy comic series written by Neil Gaiman, will end after the upcoming season 2. This may come as a surprise to some fans, as the massive 10-volume comic series sure seemed like it'd need more than two seasons to wrap everything up. But according to Variety, who broke the news of the show's cancellation, Netflix insiders are claiming they planned to end the show with season 2 (airing later this year) for awhile now:

"Sources close to 'The Sandman' were already telling Variety the pricey series, produced by Warner Bros. Television for Netflix, was expected to end with its second season when production was underway in summer 2023. The reveal of Season 2 characters that were cast in May 2024 further indicated the series was jumping to the end of the comics much sooner than fans anticipated."

There is some truth to that:...

The Sandman's upcoming second season will be the final run of episodes for the Netflix show based on the graphic novels by Neil Gaiman.

Season 2 of The Sandman is set to arrive on Netflix this year amid a stream of allegations of abuse against creator Gaiman, which has seen several in-development projects being scrapped or wound down in the last several weeks. A new poster for the series has marked the new season as “The Final Season,” marking the end of a series that spent decades in the making, only to be seemingly cut short. However, according to showrunner Allan Heinberg, the cancelation has not come about as a result of Gaiman’s recent legal issues, but more a culmination of the material available about the main subject of the show – Morpheus aka Dream, played by Tom Sturridge. In a statement shared on the official Sandman X/Twitter account,...

Netflix’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” will end with its upcoming second season.

“The Sandman” Season 2 has been a long time coming. The first season debuted in August 2022, and it wasn’t renewed at Netflix until November of that year. At that time, Netflix was also hesitant to label it as a second season at all, choosing instead to say it was “a continuation of ‘The Sandman’ world,” and wouldn’t commit to an episode count. Variety has confirmed the second season of “The Sandman” was intended to be the last prior to filming in 2023.

“‘The Sandman’ series has always been focused exclusively on Dream’s story, and back in 2022, when we looked at the remaining Dream material from the comics, we knew we only had enough story for one more season,” “The Sandman” showrunner Allan Heinberg said in a statement to Variety Friday. “We are extremely...

A stage production of Neil Gaiman's 2002 children's novel Coraline has been canceled, Variety reports. A statement from the production partners behind the scrapped musical cited the recent allegations of sexual misconduct brought against the author. Coraline — A Musical was originally scheduled to run at the Leeds Playhouse in England from April to May of this year before embarking on a tour through Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Manchester. In the joint statement from Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep, and Home Manchester, the organizations stated, "We have decided our production of Coraline – A Musical will not proceed."

From the co-production partners: Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep, and Home, Manchester. We have decided our production of Coraline – A Musical will not proceed. After careful consideration, we feel it would be impossible to continue in the context of the allegations against its original author. Ticket holders have been contacted directly via email.

Exclusive: Neil Gaiman has been removed from UK agent Casarotto Ramsay & Associates’ client list after the Good Omens writer has faced a string of sexual misconduct allegations over the past six months.

Gaiman’s profile was quietly scrubbed from Casarotto Ramsay & Associates’ website, meaning he no longer appears on pages listing its film, TV, and theatre clients.

Internet archives show Gaiman’s profile, which included trailers for his screen work, was live on the agency’s website as recently as last October, months after the initial allegations were published. The author denies wrongdoing.

Casarotto Ramsay & Associates failed to respond to repeated requests for comment about whether it continues to rep Gaiman. Gaiman has been contacted for comment. His long-time literary agent is Writers House’s Merrilee Heifetz, who has been approached for comment. Gaiman has also been repped by CAA, who have been contacted.

Neil Gaiman’s profile page...

The U.K. musical production Coraline that was scheduled to premiere in April has been canceled following allegations of sexual assault against the novel’s author Neil Gaiman.

In a joint statement posted on Wednesday, the co-production partners Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep, and Home Manchester read: “We have decided our production of Coraline – A Musical will not proceed. After careful consideration, we feel it would be impossible to continue in the context of the allegations against its original author.” The production partners noted that tickets holders were contacted via email.

A U.K. stage production of Neil Gaiman’s “Coraline” has been canceled following allegations of sexual assault against the author.

The “Coraline” musical was set to take place at Leeds Playhouse from April 11 to May 11 before touring to Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester.

Co-production partners Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep and Home Manchester issued a joint statement on Wednesday, which reads: “We have decided our production of ‘Coraline – A Musical’ will not proceed. After careful consideration, we feel it would be impossible to continue in the context of the allegations against its original author.”

Back in July 2024, Tortoise Media broke the news that Gaiman had been accused of sexual assault by two women and released a six-part podcast, “Master,” which covered the allegations of five women. New York Magazine then amplified the story after publishing an article titled “There Is No Safe Word,” in which reporter Lila Shapiro...

A UK stage version of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline has been canceled following allegations of sexual misconduct against the Good Omens author.

The musical production was preparing to embark on a UK tour that would take in the Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep, and Home in Manchester.

In a statement, organizers said they would not continue with the adaptation, citing the claims against Gaiman from a total of nine women. Gaiman has denied sexual misconduct.

“We have decided our production of Coraline – A Musical will not proceed. After careful consideration, we feel it would be impossible to continue in the context of the allegations against its original author. Ticket holders have been contacted directly via email,” the statement said.

The allegations against Gaiman include nonconsensual Bdsm. The claims were first published in a Tortoise podcast, titled Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman. New York magazine carried further allegations earlier this month.

“She wants something to love, I think. Something that isn’t her. Or, maybe she’d just love something to eat.”

Mothers come in many shapes and sizes. Some are fantastic cooks. Others are wonderful gardeners. Many may not keep a tidy house, but they’re great listeners and skilled at helping their children work through complex problems. But there’s one thing all mothers have in common. At some point, they will all do something to disappoint or upset their children. Because mothers are human beings too. They may be tasked with caring for the younger generation but they’re still fallible creatures figuring it out as they go. Henry Selick explores the concept of good and bad parents in his stunning stop motion masterpiece Coraline. This 2009 film follows two mothers battling for the love of a young girl who must decide whether she can live a life that’s less than perfect.

Wes Anderson has only made two animated films, both of which – Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs – would end up getting Oscar nominations. And while Anderson does find the process of making stop-motion films to be an exhausting one, he would absolutely do more.

Speaking at the Annecy Animation Film Festival last year (via Variety), Wes Anderson said that it took some time to come around on the format but it had to come organically. “I didn’t have any real ambition to do an animated movie until I’d made a few live-action movies. It was something I sort of found my way into…I definitely would like to do another…” He added, “The thing that happens is…by the time you finish a phase of what you’re doing, you’re very happy to move on. You don’t usually say, ‘I’d like to spend another year in the cutting room.

Whispers about English author Neil Gaiman‘s behavior with women have circulated in the publishing world for some time, but a bombshell article published in New York magazine this week laid out a horrifying series of allegations that left readers sickened and stunned. Multiple women interviewed for the piece accused him of rape, assault, sexual abuse, and degradation, and a woman who worked as a nanny for Gaiman and his ex-wife, the musician Amanda Palmer, claimed he pressured her into sexual acts, sometimes even in the presence of his young son.

Neil Gaiman’s fall from grace has left more than just the literary world shocked. There have been some horrible allegations against the author, which have caused adaptations of his works (such as the Anansi Boys movie and the third season of Good Omens) to be stalled, some of which he has offered to exit in hopes of keeping them going.

However, in the wake of these horrible allegations, fans have come to read his works in a completely different light, something that restructures the manner in which his protagonists are looked at.

The Sandman || Credit: Netflix

The work specifically in focus is The Sandman, the graphic novel magnum opus of the Coraline author. Initially an odd superhero from the forgotten panels of DC, the character was refurbished into a gothic facsimile of the author, at least when it comes to looks. Similarly championing women’s issues as the author,...

Neil Gaiman #MeToo Allegations ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Neil Gaiman, celebrated author of literary works such as The Sandman, Coraline, and Good Omens, has become the center of a severe controversy that has reignited discussions surrounding the #MeToo Movement in the literary world, expanding its reach beyond Hollywood and into the UK writing scene.

Reports indicate that Gaiman, who was accused of sexual misconduct last year, is now facing additional allegations directly from the victims. Gaiman’s wife, Amanda Palmer, a singer from The Dresden Dolls and an outspoken advocate against sexual violence, has also been accused of facilitating her husband’s alleged actions. In the latest details surrounding Gaiman, two women implicated Palmer in Gaiman’s misconduct, raising questions about the extent of her involvement.

An investigative report by New York Magazine connected the allegations not only to the previously known victims but also introduced accounts from four additional women.

Neil Gaiman, the genius behind The Sandman and Coraline, is in hot waters. Multiple women have accused him of s*xual harassment. And New York Magazine and Tortoise Media spilled the tea in their latest deep dives.

The allegations are nothing short of disturbing, with several women sharing their personal stories about inappropriate behavior by Gaiman. What’s most shocking is that these accusations involve things that go way beyond the usual celebrity drama.

Neil Gaiman (Credits: Instagram/@neilhimself)

Some stories are so wild, they feel ripped from Gaiman’s darkest pages. The drama began in July 2024, thanks to a Tortoise Media podcast. Now, New York Magazine’s stepped in, backing it up with firsthand interviews.

Some women used real names, others kept their names hidden with pseudonyms. All share tales of misconduct, from creepy come-ons to outright assaults. So, what do we know so far? Let’s break it down.

Studio Ghibli films didn’t make it to the West on their own. Sometimes, Hayao Miyazaki needed a helping hand, especially in the 1990s when anime and films from Japan weren’t so popular.

The only obstacle was to prevent the Disneyfication of his films so that they could fit a Western audience. Many Western producers sought to do exactly this which would’ve made Studio Ghibli films lose Miyazaki’s touch altogether. Princess Mononoke nearly fell victim to this.

Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki. [Credit: Studio Ghibli]

Stephen Alpert, a former executive at Studio Ghibli, relates his experience working with Hollywood executives and directors for the Western release of Studio Ghibli films. One such name brought chills who thankfully never got his clutches on Princess Mononoke.

Fans might have been grateful that this director didn’t get his hands on the iconic film but time has proven that there’s almost no...

Multiple women accused The Sandman author Neil Gaiman of s*xual assault, sparking a new controversy in the literary community. It isn’t the first time Gaiman has faced accusations after a July podcast covered the allegations of five women. One of the accusations was raised by his former babysitter, who went into the disturbing details of the assault.

Neil Gaiman in The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | Credits: CBS

The allegations against Gaiman are not looking great for Tom Cruise and his Church of Scientology. Gaiman’s parents were part of the church, while the author had distanced himself from the belief system. However, there are still rumors that Gaiman and his wife Amanda Palmer are secretly Scientologists. The rumor itself could prove damaging to the church.

The allegations against Neil Gaiman and their impact on Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology Tom Cruise in a still...

You know the phrase, “never meet your heroes”? Well, for some fans of Neil Gaiman, that lesson is hitting a lot harder than they ever imagined. The celebrated author behind The Sandman and Coraline has found himself in a storm of serious allegations. Once a shining beacon in the world of fantasy, his name is now tangled with claims of s*xual assault from multiple women.

But while the accusations were initially discussed in smaller circles, mainstream outlets had yet to fully pick up the story. That is, until New York Magazine published its own investigation, adding much-needed weight to the claims.

Neil Gaiman | Credit: @neilhimself | Instagram

The emotional toll of these allegations is not just about the truth or the rumors; it’s the shockwave that’s coursing through fans and readers who never expected someone they admired to face such serious charges. As the details unfold, people are...

Before Neil Gaiman became the boss-level storyteller behind The Sandman, he was sneaking his creative genius into some of the coolest fandoms around. Marvel? Yep, he had a hand in that. Doctor Who? Absolutely. Back when he wasn’t a fantasy heavyweight, Gaiman was low-key making waves in universes fans couldn’t get enough of.

Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself | Instagram)

From crafting niche comic arcs to writing episodes that stuck with you, he was already proving he had the magic touch.

From Marvel to The Sandman: Neil Gaiman’s legacy and troubling allegations A still from Netflix’s The Sandman (2022) | Credits: DC Entertainment

Neil Gaiman may’ve achieved mainstream fame with Netflix’s The Sandman, but his storytelling journey spans decades, touching Marvel, Doctor Who, and beyond.

Before Dream and Death graced our screens, Gaiman left his mark on Marvel with Marvel Knights: Eternals, an animated series that preceded the big-screen adaptation.

Multiple women have accused “The Sandman” and “Coraline” author Neil Gaiman of sexual assault in a New York Magazine cover story, speaking on the record about their experiences.

Back in July, Tortoise Media broke the news that Gaiman had been accused of sexual assault by two women and released a six-part podcast, “Master,” which covered the allegations of five women. However, several of the women had used only their first names or pseudonyms to protect their identities, and a major news organization had yet to corroborate the full extent of the reporting — until now.

In the New York Magazine piece, titled “There Is No Safe Word,” reporter Lila Shapiro spoke to eight women who had similar experiences with Gaiman, four of which also participated in Tortoise’s podcast. One of these women, Scarlett Pavlovich, was 22 when she first met Gaiman’s ex-wife, Amanda Palmer, in New Zealand. They struck up...

Lionsgate, which had a disastrous 2024 thanks to duds like Borderlands and The Crow, are having a good start to 2025, with Den of Thieves 2: Pantera opening in first place at the box office. With Deadline reporting a $15.5 million gross, it opened in line with the 2018 original (not adjusted for inflation). It likely would have performed even better were it not for the horrific wildfires currently decimating large parts of Los Angeles. The movie marks Gerard Butler’s strongest opening since Angel Has Fallen back in 2019, proving once again that he’s a consistent draw in these meat-and-potatoes action flicks.

Mufasa: The Lion King didn’t hold up quite as well post-holidays as we thought it would in our predictions, with it falling 44% to $13.2 million, with a $187 million domestic total. That’s only a fraction of the $600 million plus grossed by its 2019 predecessor. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 came in third with...

Wes Anderson doesn’t talk a lot about his work in animation. Frankly, the more famous he gets, the less Anderson seems to enjoy doing interviews, which is why it was such a treat to sit down with the director of “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Isle of Dogs” at the Annecy Animation Film Festival last summer.

Over the course of a 90-minute master class, Anderson discussed what drew him to stop motion, how coming to the medium from a place of naiveté resulted in such distinctive-looking movies, and how animation in turn has informed his subsequent live-action work.

Unlike a number of other filmmakers, from Guillermo del Toro to Jacques Demy, who started out making rudimentary stop-motion films as kids, “I didn’t have any real ambition to do an animated movie until I’d made a few live-action movies,” Anderson explained. “It was something I sort of found my way into.

Animation has always been a medium for pushing creative boundaries. Often, it brings vibrant worlds and imaginative stories to life in ways live-action simply cannot. Breathtaking landscapes and intricate character designs are just some of the ways these illustrative productions captivate audiences, with a timeless appeal cementing many titles as contenders among the best animated movies of all time. Showcasing the incredible potential of animation as a visual and narrative art form, these films have often transcended their format, leaving audiences awestruck and inspired.

This focus on visual artistry has sparked countless bountiful subgenres, for example, animated fantasy movies. Heartfelt adventures and awe-inspiring fantasies have proved time after time that the medium's storytelling power is a bottomless pit of impactful entertainment. Some indie examples even rival the best Disney animated shows ever made, with their draw shown specifically through vivid visuals. The ability of animation to transport viewers to entirely...