Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN is one of the all-time greatest comic book series and also one of the more difficult to turn into a big screen movie. Dealing with disparate stories that span time and space and very deep philosophical topics, SANDMAN is right up there with WATCHMEN in the annals of comics. While WATCHMEN has superheroes, SANDMAN deals with gods. But, as any Neil Gaiman fan knows, that is just scratching the surface.
Rumors have popped up here and there for years about the potential movie take on SANDMAN only for them to fizzle out. While this latest mention is not concrete, it certainly raises the interest level once again in the adaptation's status.
During interviews regarding THE WOLVERINE, director James Mangold was asked about which other comic properties he would be interested in tackling. Here was his response:
“The Sandman. Neil Gaiman’s Sandman is a great property. Actually I’ve talked to Neil about it before. I think it’s one of the great really interesting modernist tales. Also, on the complete other side of the universe I’ve always been a fan of The Flash. Although the outfit would have to definitely change, with those little [wings] on his ears.”
Talking to Gaiman is far from a signed contract, but Mangold has certainly showed a range in his directing abilities in COPLAND, GIRL INTERRUPTED, WALK THE LINE, 3:10 TO YUMA, KNIGHT AND DAY, IDENTITY, and THE WOLVERINE. But, SANDMAN would be a huge departure from anything Mangold has tackled so far. Here's a brief rundown (courtesy of Wikipedia) on SANDMAN if you weren't aware:
The Sandman's main character is Dream, the Lord of Dreams , who is essentially the anthropomorphic personification of dreams. At the start of the series, Morpheus is captured by an occult ritual and held prisoner for 70 years. Morpheus escapes in the modern day and, after avenging himself upon his captors, sets about rebuilding his kingdom, which has fallen into disrepair in his absence.
In its beginnings, the series is a very dark horror comic. Later, the series evolves into an elaborate fantasy series, incorporating elements of classical and contemporary mythology, ultimately placing its protagonist in the role of a tragic hero.
The storylines primarily take place in the Dreaming, Morpheus's realm, and the waking world, with occasional visits to other domains, such as Hell, Faerie, Asgard, and the domains of the other Endless. Many use the contemporary United States of America and the United Kingdom as a backdrop. The DC Universe was the official setting of the series, but well-known DC characters and places were rarely featured after 1990. A notable exception is Lyta Hall, formerly Fury of the 1980s super-team Infinity, Inc., who figures prominently in the "Kindly Ones" story arc, and her superhuman abilities are not ignored.
Sandman would potentially be a figure in Warner Bros. plan for JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK, so the chance of a SANDMAN standalone may not be all that far-fetched. Whether Mangold is the man for the job remains to be seen, but if THE WOLVERINE turns out to be as good as it looks, he may have his pick of projects.
THE WOLVERINE opens Friday, July 26th.
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