While many of us thought they’d get The Cure’s Robert Smith, it seems that Warner Bros. is in final talks for Joseph Gordon-Levitt to star in an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s reimagining of Sandman. Deadline reports that Gordon-Levitt will also apparently co-produce the film with David S. Goyer and could possibly even direct it himself. He’s already proven that he’s quite adept at directing himself in his debut Don Jon from earlier this year, and this might just be a move for him to be the next Clint Eastwood.
Gaiman’s Sandman shifts between horror and fantasy, and the central character is Morpheus, the personification of dreams. After being held captive 70 years, Morpheus escapes, gains revenge and rebuilds his crumbling kingdom while trying to adapt to the times. The Vertigo Comics title ran from 1989 to 1996, producing 75 issues, and would routinely guest star several other of DC/Vertigo’s more magical characters, like John Constantine, Phantom Stranger, and Etrigan the Demon.
Gordon-Levitt is no stranger to comic book adaptations, having, of course, played the pivotal role of Officer John Blake in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and will play Johnny, an original character, in Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s upcoming Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. What Gordon-Levitt’s take on Sandman will be, both from an acting and a directing standpoint, is very much up in the air, but he’s a smart and talented enough guy that it makes us very excited to see the result.
What do you think of this news? Are you ready go to on a Joseph Gordon-Levitt journey to the Dreaming? Who would you like to see star as the various hellions and mystical entities Morpheus encounters? Let us know in the comments, yo.
Also, Benedict Cumberbatch voiced the Angel Islington in the radio play version of Neverwhere, so he’s done Gaiman stuff before. I will be actively campaigning for this.
As far as voices go, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH. Actually, I think he’s got everything it needs, the voice, the height, the weird eyes, certainly the chops. They can give him a spiky David-Bowie ‘do and he’ll be well away.
I think JGL has the acting chops to do the role justice (check out Hesher and Brick), and anytime a comic/book/show I love becomes a movie I just go in with low expectations that way I’m rarely disappointed 😉
Things I am feeling right now about this….Uhmmm panic? Forboding…. There’s hope in there somewhere, but right now its soooo tiny…and I read somewhere Terry Gilliam is writing it, not Gaiman??????? Oh jeez Oh jeez Oh jeez please dont let this go the Constantine route….. *crossing fingers*
A series would do the Sandman justice as a whole, but a movie would be similar to a one-shot comic. There was one about Sandman influencing Shakespeare…something like that. Kris Holden-Reid is an interesting choice…as is Jonathan Rhys-Myers. Tom Mixon from Sleepy Hollow would be great; he has that randomness combined with intelligence. Going to follow this one!
I’m personally a fan of Gaiman’s choices. Hiddleson or Cumberbatch (as he said, “as long as they have good cheekbones) Plus after seeing Only Lovers Left Alive, Hiddleston was scary close to the look already.
This might turn out to become a very interesting and intreguiging movie. I’d definetly love to see Keanu Reeves play Morpheus as he did a really good job in The Matrix as Neo.
I’m seriously in love with this comic and I’m afraid they’re going to squeeze everything I love about it and turn it into crap. Not to mention alll the people who will claim to be dedicated fans that, have never read the, comic. I’m sui nervous, about this. I like Joseph Gordon, I do. I’m a huge fan but for this roll….?? I dunno man!!
We know by now that JGL never actually said he was going to be in it right? Just producing? I’m pretty pessimistic about this project (there’s no way it could work as a movie) but I think we’re all avoiding the obvious solution; cast more than one actor as Morpheus! His appearance changes all the time (he was even a black guy at one point) so why should only person play him? But keep the voice the same. And use Neil Gaiman’s voice. Maybe Christopher Lee when he’s angry.