There are few comic franchises outside of the typical superhero pantheon that are as beloved Sandman, written by equally beloved author Neil Gaiman. For years, studios have been working to create a Sandman feature film, but it looks like Netflix wins out again and has put out an order to adapt the comic into a series.
It will be written by Jack Thorne and will be executive produced by Neil Gaiman and David S. Goyer. Sources say that the budget for the show is high, which makes sense given that there’s a lot of trippy imagery in the comics and, being a well-respected franchise, it has to go all out.
Sandman follows Dream, sometimes called Morpheus or the Dream King, escaping a 70-year imprisonment from a cult and works on rebuilding his kingdom. Throughout his journey he makes friends and enemies with mythological figures from various traditions and across different realms of existence. There’s no word yet as to which, if any, plot from the comics the show will directly adapt from or even if it will maintain the same starting point.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the brilliant team that is Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg to finally bring Neil’s iconic comic book series, The Sandman, to life onscreen,” said Channing Dungey, Vice President of Originals at Netflix tells The Hollywood Reporter. “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.”
Gaiman’s work has been getting quite a few adaptations to TV, with American Gods on Starz and Good Omens, which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett, on Amazon Prime.
While we don’t know yet when we could expect the show, we do know that it will start off with 11 episodes.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article mistakenly said that Allan Heinberg would be writing the show.
