Neil Gaiman Reveals Sandman Was Ready to Begin Filming Before Coronavirus Shutdown

The Netflix adaptation of The Sandman was almost ready to start production before the coronavirus pandemic. Netflix and DC Comics announced the adaptation of the seminal comic book series in July 2019. Neil Gaiman, who wrote the original series, is an executive producer on the show. He offered an update on the show’s progress via his Tumblr blog. “It’s going really well, except it’s kind of hibernating right now until people start making TV again,” Gaiman writes. “The scripts for the first season are written, casting had started, directors hired, sets were being built. Everything was ready to go into production, and then we moved into a pause. As soon as the world is ready to make TV drama, Sandman will move smoothly back into being made. In the meantime, we are taking the opportunity to get the scripts as good as we can.”

Gaiman has said before that the first season of the series will cover a bit more than the first Sandman graphic novel, Preludes & Nocturnes. Writing for the show is already touching on its second season. In March, the series added Black MIrror cinematographer George Steel to its team. The Sandman television series is a co-production of Netflix and Warner Bros. Television. Alan Heinberg is writing and executive producing the series. Gaiman and David S. Goyer are also executive producers.

“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, VP, Original Series, Netflix in a statement when Netflix announced the series. “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.”

The Sandman follows Dream, a conceptual entity struggling with his place in the universe. The synopsis for the Netflix series reads, “A rich blend of modern myth and dark fantasy in which contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend are seamlessly interwoven, The Sandman follows the people and places affected by Morpheus, the Dream King, as he mends the cosmic–and human–mistakes he’s made during his vast existence.”

Are you excited about The Sandman television series? Let us know how you feel about it in the comments. The first season of The Sandman will consist of 11 episodes, with plans to debut in 2021.

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