There are countless comic book adaptations in the works. So many that it’s actually really difficult to keep up with all of them. And unless you’re actively following certain ones, you may not have noticed that their progress has stalled out.
There are plenty of reasons for an adaptation to just suddenly stop its progress. Not that knowing the reason will help soothe the fans looking forward to them. It’s a shame when it happens, but hopefully by talking about them more, we can get some of these series moving forward again! And so, here are ten comic book adaptations that seem to be stuck in limbo.
10 10. Y: The Last Man (FX)
Some days it feels like the adaptation or Y: The Last Man is cursed. This is a series that has made so many attempts to get off the ground, all by different companies and producers. And so far, we fans don’t have much to show for it.
Most recently the show lost its two showrunners. They stated that FX had opted not to continue the series ‘in its current form.’ That doesn’t mean that the series is cancelled. In fact, FX has expressed that they fully plan to continue with creating an adaptation. However, this latest development means that the series is quite literally back to the beginning. If that. So who knows when we’ll be getting more news about this series.
9 9. Unnamed Marvel Comedy (ABC)
Back in 2016 it was announced that Marvel was developing an unnamed comedy series for ABC. Considering how much potential this series could have had, it's a shame that we haven't heard more about it. But unfortunately there has been little to no news about this one.
Marvel and Disney shows have been getting a little muddy, with the start of Disney+. It's hard to say how many series outside of the streaming service will survive to production. And there's a chance that this is one of the casualties.
8 8. Five Ghosts (Syfy)
Five Ghosts was originally published by Image Comics – all the way back in 2013. The series follows Fabian Gray – a sort of famous treasure hunter who has the ability to see ghosts...but only five of them. Enter the The Wizard, The Archer, The Detective, The Samurai, and the Vampire.
In 2014 Syfy announced their intent to create an adaptation for this unique and fascinating series. However, since there very little information has come out about it. We're still hoping to see this one hit the small screen, but the longer the delay, the more our hopes fall.
7 7. Sex Criminals (Universal)
Sex Criminals is another loved comic series whose adaptation seems to be stuck in limbo. This series is one of the more unique ones out on the market, and it would have been interesting to see how Universal would have handled the adaptation.
However, it's been four years with almost no news about the adaptation. Perhaps there was concern about the title or subject matter? It very well could have been a struggle with the censor board, had it made it all the way through production. But that's no reason to give up hope!
6 6. The Wicked + The Divine (Universal)
The Wicked + The Divine is the second series on this list that was optioned by Universal TV. Unfortunately, that means it is also in development limbo. There are so many reasons that this is a shame, and fans of the series are well aware of that.
The Wicked + The Divine is currently still being published by Image Comics. The series is full of brilliant and bright artwork, and follows a world where reincarnation is possible – but only for select few (those inhabited by a pantheon of gods and goddesses) – and there's a hefty cost.
5 5. Wayward (Manga Entertainment)
Back in 2017 Manga Entertainment expressed their interest in adapting the comic series, Wayward, into a TV series. However, since then almost no news has come out about the series. It doesn't help that there are a few series of similar name. Perhaps it just got buried?
Wayward is set in Tokyo and follows teenagers caught up in supernatural affairs. The series is ongoing, and has been selling fairly well. So it is both surprising and disappointing to not be hearing any news about an animated series.
4 4. #4Hero (Machinima)
Machinima had expressed interest back in 2015 to create a digital TV series based off of DC's Dial H for Hero comics (not the reboot that is currently running, of course). The series is/was going to be a live action and more modern version of the beloved comic series.
There's a chance that the series is being developed while not making too many waves. Perhaps DC relaunched the comic series in hopes of garnering more excitement for the adaptation. Regardless, very little news has been coming out from this area.
3 3. Black Magick (Groundwell Productions)
Back in 2015 the creators behind Black Magick (Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott) sold the rights of the series over to Groundwell Productions. There hasn't been much news since then, and we don't need to say how much of a shame that is.
Black Magick is one of those series that blends magic and police work into a fascinating and dark world. It's been a pretty big hit, so we're hoping there's still a chance that something will happen here. Hey, you never know!
2 2. Essex County (CBC Canada)
CBC Canada has the rights for Jeff Lemire's Essex County. But they obtained the rights back in 2015, and little to no news has come out since then. Lemire is a fairly big name in the comics industry, pumping out plenty of comic hits. So it's a bit of a surprise that his adaptation isn't being pushed forward faster.
Essex County is set in Lemire's home state, Ontario and follows three generations of a single family. It's a beautiful and quirky story, one full of emotion and so much more. It would look wonderful if adapted for the small screen, so we're still rooting for this one.
1 1. Witchblade (NBC)
This one may be a bit confusing, since Witchblade had previously been a series. But a reboot had been in the works, but now...? Witchblade has been getting more attention of late, with the comic series being rebooted. And for a while it looked like NBC was going to be doing a reboot of the TV series as well.
However, no news has been revealed since 2017, so things are not looking great. One can only hope that it's still moving along – albeit slowly. One never knows! The original TV series got a lot of attention, so it seems likely that the reboot would as well.