Neil Gaiman fans rejoice; the Sandman graphic novel series is finally being adapted for the screen in a deal reached by Warner Bros. Television and Netflix. Sandman has been in development limbo for literal decades while other Gaiman works have successfully been brought to the screen in recent years. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show has been picked up for eleven episodes and will be created and produced by Gaiman, David S. Goyer (Constantine, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), and Allan Heinberg (Grey’s Anatomy, Wonder Woman).
The Sandman comic enjoyed a 75-issue run over about an eight-year period, so there is definitely a lot of source material to draw from. The official logline reads as such:
“A rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven, The Sandman follows the people and places affected by Morpheus, the Dream King, as he mends the cosmic — and human — mistakes he’s made during his vast existence.”
The Sandman series is as good for fans as it is for its producers and distributors. Channing Dungey, Vice President of Scripted Originals at Netflix, says, “From its rich characters and storylines to its intricately built-out worlds, we’re excited to create an epic original series that dives deep into this multi-layered universe beloved by fans around the world.” Netflix is currently foraging for broad, fantastic projects that are likely to develop devoted fanbases caught up on intricate details à la HBO’s Game of Thrones or Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings tv series. As an independent streamer, they’re not doing too badly; having recently acquired the rights to upcoming projects such as Magic: The Gathering and The Chronicles of Narnia as well as the Roald Dahl library.
Gaiman is also experiencing a bit of a heyday. Variety reports that Starz recently renewed American Gods, an adaptation of Gaiman’s earlier novel, for a third season. Amazon just released the limited series Good Omens, based on the novel co-written by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Lastly and coincidentally, Lucifer, a spin-off character from the Sandman comics, was picked up for a fifth and final season at Netflix.