‘The Wicked + The Divine’ Coming to TV

It’s not only superhero comics that are getting small screen love. Well known indies and alternative fare are stacking up to debut on television sets. Outcast, Preacher, Lucifer (kind-of), and Scalped are all in development, proving that TV doesn’t have to resort to remaking Nordic crime-dramas for fresh material. The next comic planned for a TV adaptation is Image’s The Wicked + The Divine.

The Eisner Award-winning comics series created by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie has been optioned by Universal Television, with producing rights in the hands of the Milkfed Criminal Masterminds production company. Milkfed Criminal Masterminds is the production company of comic creators Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick, who inked a two-year deal with Universal Television. The married couple plans to bring their own series, such as Matt Fraction’s Sex Criminals, and other comic series to life through television.

The premise of The Wicked + The Divine centers around the idea that every 90 years twelve gods are incarnated as humans. In two years, the incarnated gods are dead. These gods often become pop stars or something of a similar status depending on the time period. Gods included are the likes of Lucifer, Baphomet, Baal, etc. The story itself deals with infighting and conspiracies between the pop star Gods, observed by a fan named Laura.

Nothing is set in stone yet as the project hasn’t been picked up for series, but if something as controversial as Preacher can find footing on television I’m sure that The Wicked + The Divine will be able to follow suit. It seems that networks are each trying to get a piece of the comic-adaptation pie and hopefully other favorites like Fables or Saga get a chance at live action.

Are you excited for The Wicked + The Divine? What comic would you like to see adapted next? Let us know in the comments below!

Michael Heitzenrater

Freelance writer and screenwriter living in Pittsburgh. Film buff, video game buff, and music buff, but not actually buff.