Amazon Prime Video announced that multi-award-winning actors Michael Sheen, OBE (Masters of Sex, Passengers) and David Tennant (Broadchurch, Doctor Who) are to star in Good Omens, the six-part humorous fantasy drama which will launch globally on PrimeVideo.com in 2019.
The 6 episode 1-hour equal parts comedy and horror series, which was greenlit in January 2017, is written by Neil Gaiman (American Gods), who will also serve as Showrunner. It is based on the well-loved and internationally bestselling novel ‘Good Omens’ by Terry Pratchett (Hogfather) and Gaiman, and is being produced by BBC Studios, the BBC’s commercial production arm, Narrativa and The Blank Corporation, in association with BBC Worldwide.
Sheen will star as the somewhat fussy angel and rare book dealer Aziraphale, and Tennant will play his opposite number, the fast living demon Crowley, both of whom have lived amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle and of each other. So it’s really terrible news for both of them that, if Heaven and Hell have their way, the world will end on Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis has risen, tempers are flaring. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are ready to ride. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Expect that someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…
Good Omens will be brought to the screen by the highly acclaimed director Douglas Mackinnon, whose credits include Doctor Who, Outlander and the standalone Victorian episode of Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, winner of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie last year.
Michael Sheen says: “I first read Good Omens as a teenager and it’s been one of my favourite stories ever since. To be part of the team entrusted with bringing it alive on screen is a bit of a dream come true to be honest. To work alongside Neil, who I think is one of the greatest storytellers of all time, is incredibly exciting. And, just like the rest of the world, I’m a huge fan of David’s so I relish trying to save it with him.”
David Tennant says: “Michael Sheen, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett and directed by Douglas Mackinnon, it’s a dream team and a dream gig. I am very excited that I’ve been asked to be part of this amazing project. Bring on the Apocalypse!”
Douglas Mackinnon, Director and Executive Producer says: “Ironically, given that it is a timeless novel, the Good Omens story stretches from the beginning of time to quite near the end of time. I am honoured to be working with Neil Gaiman (and Terry Pratchett in absentia) and directing such a wonderfully prestigious project for Amazon and BBC Studios. I hope to deliver an epic parcel of fun just before Armageddon arrives instead.”
Neil Gaiman, Writer and Executive Producer says: “If you are looking for actors to play two of the best-loved characters you and Terry Pratchett ever created, then, if you are very lucky and have been very good, you will get Michael Sheen and David Tennant to bring them to life. The best Welsh actor of his generation gets to be an angel, the best Scottish actor of his, a demon. Terry and I wrote Good Omens (I like to think it’s one of the funniest novels ever written about the end of the world and how we are all going to die) almost 30 years ago. It’s strange that it feels more relevant now than it ever did before. I only wish that Terry could be here to see it come to life with such a fantastic team.”
The Executive Producers of Good Omens are Neil Gaiman (American Gods) and Chris Sussman (Fleabag) for BBC Studios; Rob Wilkins (Choosing to Die) and Rod Brown (Going Postal) for Narrativia; and Douglas Mackinnon (Sherlock). Gaiman has adapted the novel for the screen.
