The Sandman Trailer Reveals First Look at Mark Hamill’s Mervyn Pumpkinhead

At San Diego Comic-Con, Netflix revealed a new trailer for The Sandman, its adaptation of the beloved comic book series from the 1990s. The new trailer, released ahead of the series’ August debut, offers fans their first look at Merv Pumpkinhead, one of the beings that reside in The Dreaming, Morpheus’ realm. He’s voiced by beloved actor Mark Hamill, well known for playing Luke Skywalker in Star Wars and voicing the Joker in various Batman animated projects. During The Sandman , The Sandman writer and co-creator Neil Gaiman said that Hamill was perfectly cast in the role of Merv.

The Netflix series is the realization of Gaiman’s long journey to bring the beloved comic book to live-action. The series adapts the comics he created with Sam Kieth, Mike Drigenberg, and others. Gaiman writes and executive produces with David S. Goyer and showrunner Allan Heinberg.

“For well over 30 years, my part in Sandman adaptations was just to try and stop bad ones from happening,” Gaiman says. “And fortunately, I was always successful in this. We got to 2020 and Sandman was the biggest DC comics property that still had not been adapted — it was widely considered one of the jewels in the crown; it was the adult comic that changed everything. This adaptation is the first time that I’ve been willing to come on board. We’ve reached a point that really did not exist when the Sandman comics began. Longer format, novelistic television series now have the special effects and budgets to bring this world to life. Technologically, I really think we’re in a place right now where we’re getting to make Sandman in a way that we could not have dreamed of making even 15 years ago, even 10 years ago. So it’s now possible to make Sandman, but not easy. It’s really hard. But the resources are there, the people are there, the skill set is there, and the determination is there — and the fact that we now have an entire generation of high-level creative people who have grown up reading Sandman who love it and want to bring it to life with authenticity. The determination everywhere to make this and get it right has been absolutely a breath of fresh air. This is Sandman being made for people who love Sandman, by people who love Sandman, and that is so incredible for me. It’s been so special. I feel like I’m on the cusp and I cannot wait until people see this show.”

In The Sandman: “There is another world that waits for all of us when we close our eyes and sleep — a place called the Dreaming, where The Sandman, Master of Dreams (Tom Sturridge), gives shape to all of our deepest fears and fantasies. But when Dream is unexpectedly captured and held prisoner for a century, his absence sets off a series of events that will change both the dreaming and waking worlds forever. To restore order, Dream must journey across different worlds and timelines to mend the mistakes he’s made during his vast existence, revisiting old friends and foes, and meeting new entities — both cosmic and human — along the way.

The Sandman premieres on Netflix on August 5th.