On August 5 Netflix will drop the first-ever adaptation of author Neil Gaiman’s comic book magnum opus The Sandman. It’s a road that’s been bumpy and, at least metaphorically, bloody according to the author. The American Gods author revealed that he’s “killed off” every proposed adaptation that’s come before.
According to Gaiman, his body count has been more than worth it. Speaking on today’s Netflix Sandman Cast Panel, the author and series producer said that the upcoming show is a culmination of 34 years of waiting to get it right. Gaiman stated that the fans can rest assured that the time and sacrifice will be worth it:
“I think fans are going to be incredibly excited because this is Sandman. It’s taken us 34 years to get a Sandman onscreen. I have killed off so many bad Sandmans on the way that the bodies of so many dead Sandman movies have been buried to do it right and get to the point where now, Netflix would have the confidence in us and assemble amazing actors, amazing people to do it and it’s Sandman, and that’s what I think people are going to be responding to. The thing they love? It’s on the screen.”
– Neil Gaiman
Gaiman has been fielding offers to adapt the epic in scale Sandman saga for years, dating back to 1991 (five years before the comic series had even ended). According to Inqisitr, Gaiman called one 1998 screenplay for a proposed adaptation, “not only the worst Sandman script I’ve ever seen, but quite easily the worst script I’ve ever read.”
Hopefully his input will be the missing ingredient to create the version fans have dreamed of.
The Sandman is currently streaming on Netflix.