The sprawling space opera that is Saga is a comic book series that explores themes of love, war, familial bonds, and finding one’s place among the stars. However, according to Saga’s creator, the series was never intended for live-action adaptation, especially when it comes to a television show.
Saga’s writer recently sat down with ScreenRant at San Diego Comic Con to discuss the series’ impact as well as its future in comics. During the Q&A, it was revealed that Saga won’t be getting a proper live-action adaptation simply because it was only ever “made to be a comic.”
Saga Was Specifically Made for Comics, And Won’t Get a TV Adaptation
Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples, Saga began in 2012 and has published 72 issues of its planned 100-issue-plus run. Taking breaks and even a years-long hiatus at one point, Saga not having a TV show to expand its sci-fi world is a bummer. But according to Vaughan, that’s actually a good thing.
Admitting he gets “offers all the time” to adapt Saga, Vaughan’s decision not to pursue a television series is a reasonable one. Having previously adapted others’ work as well as his own, Vaughan realized there are “always compromises” that need to be made that could ruin a lot of what Saga has accomplished so successfully in comics.
Explaining how “Comics give us total creative freedom,” Vaughan goes on to say that an adaptation would only be considered if “someone truly ‘cracked it,’” with neither he nor Staples in a rush to do anything with Saga outside of comics. Asked next if he sees comics as Saga’s “final form,” Vaughan responds with an emphatic “Absolutely.”
Clarifying that “Comics aren’t a stepping stone—they’re the destination,” Vaughan continues by saying, “I love film and TV, but comics are often the superior medium. That’s why Saga exists as it does.” Hitting the nail on the head in terms of why Saga shouldn’t be adapted, it’s clear that Vaughan thinks comics suit Saga‘s sprawling story just fine.
Why Saga Wouldn’t Work If Adapted for Film or Television
Limited only by the imagination of the writer and the skills of the artist, comic book storytelling has no bounds. And as fans well know, the journey of Alana, Marko, Hazel, and their assorted Saga colleagues and rivals would need a lot of attention, care, and budget to work properly in a show.
A story that would likely need to be condensed and scaled back, what with all the Star Wars-level sci-fi action and character designs going on, Saga could feasibly be split into multiple seasons. But unless the filmmakers were in it for the long haul like HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, it’s unlikely Saga would ever get the treatment it deserves.
Yet the same can’t be said when it comes to video games. A medium where Saga could flourish as a third-person action/adventure game recounting the wartime events of when Marko and Alana first met, or a Telltale Games-like project that puts players into Saga’s fully realized world, it’s here where Saga can be adapted in a truly uncompromising way.
Saga has a ways to go before its planned end, so for now, keeping the comic series going is the only thing on Brian K. Vaughan’s mind. And while it’s true Saga may never get a television show, fans should never say never on the off chance that some future filmmakers find a way to adapt its story properly.
Saga is available from Image Comics.
