Sandman Scripts Are Finished, Casting Started On Netflix Show Before Shutdown
Writer Neil Gaiman has reassured fans about The Sandman's status in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The upcoming Netflix series is based on Gaiman's DC comic series of the same name. It tells the story of Dream, also known as Morpheus, and the seven Endless. It originally ran in the 1990s and like most of Gaiman's other work, has elements of horror. For many years, Gaiman and others worked on a movie adaptation of The Sandman. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was even set as director for awhile, however he eventually left the project due to creative differences. The movie's final writer departed because he though the source material was better suited for TV, which Gaiman clearly agreed with.
Netflix ordered the upcoming The Sandman TV series in July 2019. Soon after, Gaiman revealed season one will be 11 episodes, keeping with Netflix's shorter season model. He also explained the first run of episodes will cover "Preludes and Nocturnes" and also a little more of the story, though he didn't specify how much more. The first season doesn't yet have a release date, but Gaiman shared over the summer that he and other creatives were already working on plotting for seasons 1 and 2.
Now, the writer gives a little more information on the show's progress. On his official Tumblr page, Gaiman responded to a fan asking about The Sandman's current status, especially with the coronavirus-fueled shutdowns currently in place. Gaiman explained, "It’s going really well, except it’s kind of hibernating right now until people start making TV again." He elaborated, "The scripts for the first season are written, casting had started, directors hired, sets were being built. Everything was ready to go into production, and then we moved into a pause." Gaiman concluding by reassuring fans, "As soon as the world is ready to make TV drama, Sandman will move smoothly back into being made. In the meantime, we are taking the opportunity to get the scripts as good as we can."
Gaiman's comments about The Sandman "hibernating right now" make sense, considering the current state of Hollywood. TV and movie productions across the globe have been shut down over a month at this point. Netflix was particularly aggressive in its plan, halting filming on all of its TV shows and movies in one swoop. However, the streamers's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, reassured fans at the end of March that they'll have plenty to watch in the next couple months, as Netflix releases won't be impacted until later in 2020. Streaming rival Disney+ will likely face a similar issue, as it's stopped production on upcoming MCU shows due out later this year.
Since an adaptation of The Sandman has been in development for such a long period of time, fans are probably happy to hear progress was being made on the show. Though it's disappointing to find out The Sandman is one of the countless Hollywood productions affected by the coronavirus, it's reassuring to hear the news from Gaiman himself. It also helps to know that The Sandman is prepared to resume work as soon as the crisis is over, hopefully leading to a premiere date announcement sooner rather than later.
Source: Neil Gaiman/Tumblr