Joseph Gordon-Levitt Talks Sandman, Would Be Open to a Marvel Movie

Joseph Gordon-Levitt describes his involvement with The Sandman, Warner Bros.'s planned adaptation of Neil Gaiman's award-winning comic book series, as "very, very early days" and isn't ruling anything out--within the film or without. The Dark Knight Rises star told IGN that it was the high concept that attracted him to Sandman, which he might star in, direct or both--but isn't committed to doing either just yet. "I love just the basic concept of it," Gordon-Levitt said. "Just the concept of personifying Dream, along with all of his brothers and sisters, the seven Endless personifying Death, personifying Destruction and Delirium and Destiny and Desire and Despair. I mean, that's just a fascinating and, I think, a really cinematic concept. You look at the art of Sandman, and it just looks spectacular. I love big, spectacular movies, but oftentimes big, spectacular movies sort of get stuck in a rut. They go down certain paths that end in big explosions or whatever. Sandman has so much opportunity to do something that's on a grand, grand scale, but really unlike your average big, grand-scale, spectacular movie. I guess that's the tip of the iceberg." Of course, between Batman and Sandman, he was rumored to be playing Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, a part that ultimately went to Parks and Recreation star Chris Pratt. Nobody's totally sure if those conversations ever really happened or not, but certainly he would have been one of only a few actors--and certainly one of the highest-profile ones--to cross over from DC to Marvel Comics adaptations or vice versa. Asked whether he'd still be open to doing that if an opportunity arose in the future, the actor said he would. "Yeah, I don't pay as much attention to the categories or genres of things," Gordon-Levitt said. "I pay attention to what the material is about. Does it resonate with me? Does it inspire me? Who are the collaborators? That kind of thing."