Good Omens is an upcoming TV serial based on the 1990 novel 'Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch' by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. All six episodes of the serial are set to be released on May 31, 2019, on Amazon Prime Video, and later broadcast weekly on BBC Two.

It is a co-production between Amazon Studios and BBC Studios and It took nearly 30 years of misfires, false starts and tragedy, including Pratchett’s death in 2015, for “Good Omens” to reach the screen. Good Omens remains one of those books that makes the cut on most Top 10 lists within the Fantasy Fiction genre, alongside the works of JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling and Pullman.

“Good Omens” shows that Aziraphale and Crowley have been on Earth for several millennia, enticing its inhabitants toward salvation and damnation, and now, their time is almost up. A war between Heaven and Hell is brewing and Judgment Day is upon them. There’s sharp and witty dialogue, tons of cultural references and visuals that span six millennia of the world’s existence, starting from the Garden of Eden. There’s an abundance of rock classics from Queen, The Beatles, CCR and AC DC amongst others. The cast has David Tennant, Michael Sheen and John Hamm among others, and of course, Frances McDormand essaying the voice of God.

The story pairs an angel, Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and a demon, Crowley (David Tennant), in what is arguably the most whimsical satire ever written on the Book of Revelation. Around the beginning of the world, the two serve on opposite sides but still manage to forge a close friendship. The Oscar-nominated director of Brazil and Time Bandits, Terry Gillian was working on a Good Omens adaptation for years and according to an interview with Gaiman, it finally fell apart due to bad timing, i.e., Gilliam pitched Hollywood financiers shortly after 9/11. Terry said, 'Hilarious movie about the Antichrist and the end of the world,' and they said, 'Please go away, you're scaring us.''

Pratchett passed away 2015, leaving the future of any Good Omens adaptation up in the air and Gaiman had already announced that he didn’t want to do it without Pratchett. However, Pratchett wrote a letter shortly before he died giving Gaiman his blessing to continue without him: "I would very much like this to happen, and I know, Neil, that you’re very very busy, but no one else could ever do it with the passion that we share for the old girl, I wish I could be more involved and I will help in any way I can."

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