David S. Goyer is apparently pitching a Sandman movie to Warner Bros. and he wants Joseph Gordon-Levitt to star. Though the studio hasn’t given him the green light just yet, they have been “receptive” to the idea, whatever that may mean. This project has been in development hell for a while now and has yet to get off the ground, so it’s unlikely that it will do so anytime soon. Still, it’s an intriguing prospect, having Goyer and Gordon-Levitt take on Sandman. But seeing as Warner Bros. is currently pre-occupied with all things DC, I can’t imagine them being too eager to hop on board a project as ambitious as this.
That being said, I wouldn’t totally rule it out just yet. We know that the studio is fond of both individuals and the source material is the subject of much critical acclaim. It wouldn’t be a bad decision to make a Sandman film, not at all, I’m just not sure if it’s the right time for Warner Bros. to tackle it.
For those who are unfamiliar with the 1990’s Vertigo comic book series, it focused on an individual named Morpheus, who is described as “the personification of dreams.” Along with his extended family, which includes Death, Destiny and a few others, he keeps everything in the universe running smoothly. At the start of his story, Morpheus is captured and held prisoner for seven decades. Eventually he escapes and after taking revenge on his captors, he attempts to put his kingdom back together as it has fallen into disrepair due to his absence.
Admittedly, it sounds like some pretty tough material to adapt to the big screen, plus, it will no doubt be tricky to incorporate elements of “mythology, horror, historical events and absurdist humor” into the film, which are all things that the comic book was known for. Personally, I don’t see this one happening anytime soon but I do hope that one day the project will find its way out of development hell, as it could make for a very interesting movie if executed properly.
What do you think? Would David S. Goyer and Joseph Gordon-Levitt make a kick-ass Sandman film? Should Warner Bros. even bother with it? Let us know in the comments section below.
