Could Netflix succeed where others have failed in adapting Sandman? Fans of Neil Gaiman's epic comic book series Sandman will certainly be hoping so.
According to the Hollywood Reporter (via Engadget), Netflix is set to adapt the dark fantasy series into a TV show – presumably to air exclusively on the popular streaming platform.
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Netflix and Warner Bros. are "close to signing a big-money deal", reports Engadget, which notes that Warner had previously pitched the show to a "number of outlets, including HBO" before it was picked up by Netflix.
Slated to work as executive producers on the rumored show are writer/showrunner Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman, Grey's Anatomy) and David Goyer (The Dark Knight trilogy, Man of Steel).
What is The Sandman?
Published by DC Comics, The Sandman is a comic book series that follows Dream, a "deity-like being, as he searches for purpose and identity following a 70-year imprisonment by an occultist".
According to The Sand/wo/man: The Unstable Worlds of Gender in Neil Gaiman's Sandman Series by Ally Brisbin and Paul Booth, it became "one of the most popular, significant, and award-winning comics in history" during its eight year run.
Engadget notes that "there have been numerous attempts to adapt Sandman before", but all have failed; for example, in 2013, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was tipped to "direct and star in a movie based on the books" before the project was canned.
It's not the first time Gaiman's work has come to the screen though; US cable network Starz adapted his fantasy drama novel American Gods, which premiered in 2017.
Most recently, Gaiman's collaborative novel with Terry Pratchett Good Omens, was launched as a mini-series on Amazon Prime Video. Could the prospect of a competing Gaiman show have Amazon quaking in its boots? Only time will tell.
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Via Engadget
