Playground secured the adaptation rights after a competitive bidding war, reflecting the strong interest in Moore's work.

Playground's strategy includes retaining ownership of their projects, allowing them to build value over time, which has kept them from producing series for major global streamers.

Alan Moore's fantasy novel 'The Great When', published by Bloomsbury on October 1, 2024, is set to be adapted for television by Playground, a production company known for its successful adaptations like 'Wolf Hall'.

Moore, historically critical of adaptations of his works, expressed genuine excitement about this project, marking a significant shift in his stance.

He noted that this is the first time he feels enthusiastic about a work of his being adapted, highlighting the respect he feels from Playground.

Despite rising production costs in the UK driven by demand from U.S. streamers, Playground continues to expand and produce cost-effectively.

The story follows Dennis Knuckleyard, an eighteen-year-old clerk in post-WWII London, who discovers a fictional book from a nightmarish realm called 'The Great When', leading him into dangerous adventures.

The adaptation is still in early development, with Playground envisioning it as a multi-season series.

David Stern, Playground's Joint Managing Director, praised 'The Great When' as an extraordinary blend of history, fantasy, and mystery, emphasizing the company's commitment to quality storytelling.

The company is shifting its focus from TV movies and miniseries to creating ongoing series, currently having six series in production, a record for them.

'The Great When' is the first installment of Moore's planned five-volume 'Long London' series, which Playground intends to develop into a multi-season event series.

While details about the release date for the television adaptation are currently unavailable, 'The Great When' is available for readers now.