The Sandman creator David Goyer has spoken out on the allegations against Neil Gaiman, author of the source material.
Gaiman and his estranged wife Amanda Palmer face a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and human trafficking, with the writer also facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct by multiple women. The American Gods writer has vehemently denied the accusations.
The popular fantasy series (based on the graphic novels by Gaiman) was cancelled amid the ongoing controversy while Disney paused production on a film adaptation of Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, and Netflix axed Dead Boy Detectives. However, the latter’s cancellation may not have been related to the allegations.
Meanwhile, a musical adaptation of Coraline was axed earlier this year.
“I can say, personally, I had never glimpsed any of this,” Goyer told Variety when asked about the allegations.
“And even when the accusations first came out, I think we were three weeks from finishing filming season two – so we were very, very far down the path and Neil wasn’t as involved in season two as he was in season one.”
Goyer continued: “Obviously, it’s complicated. I have tremendous respect for women that come forward in those situations. It’s really concerning, but I know that Netflix, at the time, felt, ‘God, we spent two years making this thing. There’s all these actors and writers and directors involved that, if we didn’t air it, wouldn’t be fully compensated for it.’
“And so we just decided, we’re going to let this work speak for itself. But I’d be crazy to say it wasn’t weird.”
Gaiman responded to the allegations in a blog post titled: “Breaking the silence.”
“As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognise and moments I don’t, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever,” wrote Gaiman.
The author went on to say that he has reviewed correspondence with his accusers, writing: “I went back to read the messages I exchanged with the women around and following the occasions that have subsequently been reported as being abusive. These messages read now as they did when I received them – of two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again. At the time I was in those relationships, they seemed positive and happy on both sides.”
However, he did acknowledge personal failings, adding: “And I also realise, looking through them, years later, that I could have and should have done so much better. I was emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been. I was obviously careless with people’s hearts and feelings, and that’s something that I really, deeply regret. It was selfish of me. I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other people’s.”
The Sandman season two will be released on 3 July on Netflix.
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