Neil Gaiman’s Stardust Being Adapted Into BBC Radio Drama

Another one of Neil Gaiman’s fantastical tales is turning to radio later this year. Following the success of Neverwhere and Good Omens on BBC Radio 4, director Dirk Maggs will sprinkle Stardust over the popular channel.

Of course, fans will know Stardust as both a book and film. A theatrical adaptation of Stardust was released in 2007 that featured Claire Danes and Robert De Niro.

The upcoming radio adaptation will tell the story of Tristran Thorn as he searches for a fallen star to gift to the woman he loves. However, when he finds the token, Tristran realizes the star has turned into a beautiful lady named Yvaine who’s now being hunted for her gifts. Teaming up, both Tristran and Yvaine flee the star-hunters and wind up in the land of Fairie where danger awaits them.

Neil Gaiman teased fans that the Stardust adaptation was coming. The author took to Twitter and posted a message that reads, “Hypothetically speaking, if @BBCRadio4 happened to be adapting Stardust into a radio play, would you like to see a picture of the cast?” Fans responded enthusiastically, prompting the radio network to posted a cast photo on their social media accounts.

Stardust will air later this year to assume the time slot once held by Good Omens. The play is set to premiere in December with Matthew Beard playing Tristran and Sophie Rundle as Yvaine.

The full-cast audio drama will star Matthew Beard (The Imitation Game) as Tristran and Sophie Rundle (Happy Valley) as Yvaine, with other stars including Charlotte Riley, Frances Barber, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kevin Eldon, Paul Kaye, Aisling Loftus, Blake Ritson, Eleanor Bron, Maggie Steed, Alex McQueen and Nicholas Boulton.

If you want to read the play’s official synopsis, then you can check it out below:

“Encountering Little Hairy Men, witches, and lightning-hunting sky pirates along the way, Tristran is about to uncover the secret to his own identity and a fate beyond his wildest dreams at his journey’s end.”

Now, if you can’t wait until December to get your Neil Gaiman fix, then you’re in luck. BBC Radio 4 also confirmed they are creating another radio play for a Neverwhere spin-off. An adaptation of “How the Marquis Got His Coat Back” will reach radio waves in November alongside some all-star talent. Paterson Joseph will voice Marquis de Carabas and Bernard Cribbins will reprise his role of Old Bailey.

Obviously, 2016 has been a very busy year for Neil Gaiman. The author has been working on the upcoming Starz adaptation of American Gods that is set to premiere next year. And, what’s more, Neil also confirmed he would be publishing a new novel on Norse Mythology and that his novel InterWorld was optioned by Universal Cable Productions.

[H/T] RadioTimes