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Although he's left the world of comics behind, it's a pretty great time to be an Alan Moore fan. The author published his long-awaited Moon and Serpent Bumper Book of Magic in October this year. The same month also saw the release of The Great When, the first novel in his planned Long London quintet. Now it has been announced that The Great When will be adapted for television – and in a move that will shock long-time fans, Moore himself is involved!
Deadline is reporting that production company Playground won the rights to the book in a bidding war, with the intention of adapting the novel (about hapless hero Dennis Knuckleyard's adventures in a multi-dimensional post-war London) and its planned sequels into "a tentpole, multi-season event series."
"For the first time in my career, I'm genuinely excited and enthusiastic about a work of mine…one that I own, and believe could work marvelously in a different medium…being adapted for the screen," Moore said in a statement about the new show. "In Playground, I feel that I've connected with people who respect both me and the narrative and are receptive to such input as I can offer. And, given Playground's track record, I have little doubt that this will be anything short of spectacular. It's taken me some time, but I think at last I’m ready for my closeup."
Those who have followed Moore's career will know that he has not generally been well-disposed to adaptations of his work in the past, which makes this latest development all the more surprising and delightful.
"Alan Moore's The Great When is an extraordinary work of imagination, combining elements of history, fantasy, and mystery to create a world that is both epic and intimate, strange yet deeply human," said David Stern, Playground's joint managing director, in a statement. "This project represents the type of storytelling we at Playground are passionate about, and we couldn't be more thrilled to be working with Alan, one of the most influential writers of our time, to bring this remarkable work to television."
There's no word just yet on when the show will arrive on our screens, but you can read the original novel right now. The Great When by Alan Moore is published by Bloomsbury. A sequel, titled I Hear A New World, is due sometime in 2025.
Alan Moore tells us about his first short story collection, Illuminations and why he left comics.
