(Left) Phil Lord on the set of ’21 Jump Street.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing. (Center) Archie Andrews from ‘The Archie Show’. Photo: CBS. (Right) Chris Miller on the set of ’21 Jump Street.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Preview:
A movie based on ‘Archie’ comics is in the works at Universal.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller are producing the movie.
The script comes from ‘Superwoman: Woman of Tomorrow’ comic writer Tom King.
While current audiences might be most familiar with the ‘Archie’ comic book stories via long-running CW series ‘Riverdale’, plans are afoot for a different take, this one aimed at the big screen.
The ‘Archie’ comics series, which have been published for 85 years, follows the high school hijinks of the title character and his main squeezes, Veronica and Betty. It has been turned into any number of shows and movies.
While ‘Riverdale’ was steeped in a ‘Twin Peaks’-like noir and followed the underbelly of the small town where Archie and the gang lived, the new tone of the new movie is being kept a mystery for now.
Here’s what Lord and Miller said in a statement:
“We are longtime fans of Archie, Veronica, Betty, and the gang in all of their iterations. When we heard Tom King’s take on the classic material, we instantly thought it made sense as an event movie for all audiences — both lifelong fans and a whole new generation. We’re so excited to bring these beloved characters to the big screen.”
Emma Watts, who used to run 20th Century Studios and now has her own production company, teamed up with King (who on the scriptwriting front has been working on DC Studios’ HBO series ‘Lanterns’) to develop an initial pitch, which they then presented to Lord and Miller.
They, in turn, took it to Universal under the terms of their first look deal.
What else are Lord and Miller working on?
Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
With the project still rattling around the development zone, we wouldn’t expect to see a release date announcement until it is closer to being finalized.
Camila Mendes on ‘Riverdale’. Photo: Warner Bros. Television Studios.
Selected Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Movies and TV Shows:
Taika Waititi is putting a ‘Judge Dredd’ movie together.
Drew Pearce is attached to write the script.
The package is out to studios.
UK comics icon Judge Dredd –– the muscular, gruff dystopian lawman who rides a hulking bike and dishes out justice while calling perps “creeps” –– is no stranger to movie screens, having been adapted twice before.
(L to R) Diane Lane and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Judge Dredd’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
Created in the late 1970s by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra, the character of Dredd debuted in the pages of weekly British anthology 2000 AD.
He is a police officer in the bleak future metropolis of Mega-City One, part of a law enforcement corps that empowers officers to be judge, jury, and executioner.
The character and his stories were a satire on a judicial system taken to the extreme. Dredd proved hugely popular, engendering several more comics and comics strips, video and board games, books, and even postage stamps in the United Kingdom.
Given what’s happening on America’s streets right now, the concept feels less like satire and more like documentary, but it’s also certainly rich territory for Waititi, who has put his own stamp on even the MCU.
As mentioned above, if it goes through this would represent the third produced version of the character, following the big-budget 1995 adaptation ‘Judge Dredd’ starring Sylvester Stallone that was harshly judged by critics and audiences.
There are few official details for how Waititi and Pearce’s version will differ, but they apparently both grew up on the comics. Dredd might be more of a risk, though, as Waititi has tried to tackle classic sci-fi in the past, with ‘Akira’ slipping through his fingers.
Waititi has been a little quieter of late since 2023’s soccer comedy drama ‘Next Goal Wins’, but he has new movie ‘Klara and the Sun’ on the way this year.
Producer Jason Blum has revealed the script cover for ‘King Spawn’.
Matt Mixon, Malcolm Spellman and Scott Silver are credited with the new draft.
There is no word on what this means for creator Todd McFarlane’s directorial ambitions.
If there is one complicated comic book character whose ongoing development woes can rival that of Marvel’s ‘Blade’, it’s surely Todd McFarlane’s hellish antihero ‘Spawn’.
The latest incarnation has been through the wringer, even with McFarlane constantly talking about his plans for it. At last, though, there appears to be some positive momentum as Blumhouse boss Jason Blum –– his company agreed to co-produce a new movie years ago –– took to social media with a cover page for a version called ‘King Spawn’.
Created in 1992 by McFarlane for Image Comics, the character is a former black-ops agent who makes a deal with a demon after being betrayed and killed. The demon allows him to return to Earth, but when he returns, five years have passed, his wife has moved on, and he roams Earth as a disfigured spawn of hell.
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What has happened with ‘Spawn’ so far?
Michael Jai White in 1997’s ‘Spawn’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Spawn has been the subject of a successful animated series and a movie in 1997 that didn’t score with critics or audiences and barely made its money back.
At the San Diego Comic-Con in 2017, McFarlane confirmed that he’d partnered with the Blumhouse team to make an R-rated new movie adaptation.
Yet ever since then, it has been a stream of announcements countered with delays, one-step-forward-two-steps-back momentum and no sign of bigger studio backing.
Jamie Foxx and Jeremy Renner were cast in the lead role of Al Simmons and Twitch Williams, but elsewhere there was talk of endless script re-writes and McFarlane getting frustrated with the process.
Interestingly, McFarlane only has a creator credit here, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for his input going forward. Is he still involved as director? Blum doesn’t say. Will Foxx and Renner still star? Unclear.
But judging from the title, the ‘King Spawn’ script adapts McFarlane’s eponymous run of the comics that launched in 2021.
“My original plan has gotten tripped up a bit. We’re bringing on A-list people. Not just one, but multiple A-list people… What they’re not going to want is to do a cheap, low-budget movie with all of these big-name people on it. That’s not why they’re signing up. They’re not looking for a big extravaganza. But they’re also not looking for an 8 million dollar horror movie budget.”
Right now, the script page is all we have. But at least it’s something…
‘Todd McFarlane’s Spawn’. Photo: HBO Animation.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Spawn’ Franchise:
Still, ‘Up in the Air’ writer Sheldon Turner thinks there could well be room for one more, especially one that features a less serious side to its tale of warriors and gonzo violence.
Which brings us to ‘Barbaric’ the best-selling Vault comic he first published in 2021 with co-creator/writer Michael Moreci and co-creator/artist Nathan Gooden.
Turner is looking to turn the comic into a TV series, and he has ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’s Sam Claflin ready to star with Patrick Stewart –– whose genre credentials surely need no repetition –– taking a voice role.
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What’s the story of ‘Barbaric’?
‘Barbaric’ comic book. Photo: Vault Comics.
Set in a Medieval fantasy world, the series follows Owen (Claflin), a barbarian who has been cursed to do good with what remains of his life. Accompanied by his talking axe (Stewart), described in the comic’s synopsis as a moral compass with a drinking problem, Owen wanders the realm, foredoomed to help any who seek assistance. But there is one thing Owen hates more than a life with rules: witches.
(L to R) Producer Brad Fischer, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Director/Producer Michael Bay, Eiza González and Jake Gyllenhaal attend Universal Pictures ‘Ambulance’ Premiere at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, April 4, 2022. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
Netflix –– though the company wouldn’t officially comment to TVLine, likely because not all the deals have been done –– is reportedly backing this one, which Turner will write and produce via his 100% Productions company, which is based at A+E Studios.
But perhaps the biggest news on this one is the potential director. Michael Bay –– yes, the man behind the likes of the ‘Transformers’ movies, ‘Armageddon’ and, most recently, ‘Ambulance’ (in whose credits Turner is thanked, leading us to think he might have offered some uncredited script re-write work) is in talks to handle the series.
If he does sign, it would mark Bay’s TV directorial debut. He’s certainly produced a lot of small screen work (‘Black Sails’, ‘The Purge’ and ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ among it), but now we might get to see what he can do with a show. We’d guess the idea of working with a Netflix budget rather than the constrictions of regular network TV is what appeals to him.
And we’d certainly be interested in what Bay’s style looks like within a fantasy world.
When will ‘Barbaric’ be on screens?
The new series will have to make it out of development before it can even be considered for a launch date. But given the names involved, we’d guess this has a better chance than some other projects.
Sam Claflin in ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’. Photo: Amazon Prime Video.
Premiering on Netflix beginning April 27th is the second season of the popular series ‘Sweet Tooth,’ which is based on the comic book series of the same name by Jeff Lemire, and is executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, and Amanda Burrell.
What is the plot of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2?
Following the events of the first season of ‘Sweet Tooth,’ the second season involves begins as a deadly new wave of the Sick bears down, and Gus (Christian Convery) and a band of fellow hybrids are held prisoner by General Abbot (Neil Sandilands) and the Last Men. Looking to consolidate power by finding a cure, Abbot uses the children as fodder for the experiments of captive Dr. Aditya Singh (Adeel Akhtar), who’s racing to save his infected wife Rani (Aliza Vellani).
To protect his friends, Gus agrees to help Dr. Singh, beginning a dark journey into his origins and his mother Birdie’s (Amy Seimetz) role in the events leading up to The Great Crumble. Outside the Preserve, Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie) and Aimee Eden (Dania Ramirez) team up to break the hybrids free, a partnership that will be tested as Jepperd’s secrets come to light. As the revelations of the past threaten the possibility of redemption in the present, Gus and his new found family find themselves on a collision course with Abbot and the evil forces that look to wipe them out once and for all.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with executive producers Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell about season 2 of ‘Sweet Tooth,’ what attracted them to the source material, world-building for the new season, parallels to the real-world, expanding General Abbot and Dr. Singh’s roles, working with the kids, Gus and Jepperd’s bond, and their ideas for season 3.
Moviefone: To begin with, Susan, can you talk about what excited you about adapting the comic book into this series in the first place, and the challenges of expanding the universe for season 2?
Susan Downey: Well, I think when we first got the graphic novel, we were sort of like, “What the heck is this? It’s so strange.” But when you dig into it and you understand what Jeff Lemire is trying to say and the allegory that’s there, you realize that there’s something really special and powerful in this storytelling. We really fell in love with Gus and obviously, the relationship with Jepp. I think if anything, it scared us a little bit. We knew that certainly with season one, we wanted to take all the great things that Jeff was trying to do, all of his intentions with these characters and the journey that they went on, but we wanted to make sure that we delivered it in a way that was a bit maybe more hopeful, not quite as dark as the source material. So we created this storybook dystopia, as we called it, a world of wonder with Gus as our guiding light of hope. I think that excited us because I’ve never seen anything like this. I haven’t seen a “Deer-Boy Show.” So that ticks a big box for us, which is okay, it doesn’t feel familiar. I think going into a second season though, we felt we had created this really strong foundation. Again, Gus and Jepp and their relationship as this center, as well as some of these other incredible first-season characters that joined a second season, that we actually could start creeping into a little bit of the darkness while still maintaining, again, that hope, that wonder and the beauty that we had created, but unearthing some of the darker themes and the stronger antagonists that are very focused in their goals. So it was really about expanding the world. It was introducing some new characters, and as you saw, it was expanding the world of the hybrids, which was so much fun. Again, a lot of the times we were looking at each other and going, “What are we doing here?” When my son saw the trailer, he’s like, “There’s an elephant boy?” The excitement was palpable. So I think we nailed it.
MF: Amanda, can you talk about bringing some of the separate storylines from the first season together for season 2, and expanding the world of ‘Sweet Tooth’ with more characters, locations, and flashbacks this season?
Amanda Burrell: It’s so funny because in season one, you spend so much time building it and then trying to nail a tone or at least figure out what your show is in a lot of ways. I think because we evolved it from the graphic novel, I think we figured it out in season one, and then it just allowed us, “Okay, tonally, actually the hybrid stuff is really connecting. It’s really emotional. How do we build that and expand it?” So it felt we really understood clearly what we got in season one, and now we just get to really up it. Abbott was always going to Loom large. He’s big in the comic book. When we cast Neil, it was so fun in season one, to kind of almost keep him at bay until the audience was ready. I think the fact that we can just bring him out in all of his glory, and Neil just milked it and just was so ready for it. But also to have Singh in the mix in not only the same time space, but that whole alignment of it was just really exciting and we were always building towards it. So it felt like season one allowed us to build the excitement towards it and now we get to realize the potential of all of it. So we definitely blew it out. I feel we’re really proud of the season. We can’t believe how incredible all the hybrids are. So yeah, we’re pumped.
MF: Susan, the series deals with a pandemic and obviously we are just coming out of a pandemic in the real-world now. Did the real-world pandemic at all change the way you depicted the pandemic in the show?
SD: It’s interesting. Not entirely. This was based on a graphic novel that existed well before our pandemic, so our development of it was even before the pandemic. So I think more than anything, it’s just interesting that an audience can relate in a way that they maybe wouldn’t have had it not happened. I feel for us, more than anything, there’s just little details people are familiar with, taking temperatures, wearing masks, those kind of things. But our story takes place after, and it’s about the hope, the rebuild, the reset and what does the future offer. So, if it taps into something within all of us that we’ve experienced, it’s not looking to tap into whatever we’ve dealt with over the past few years. It’s looking to say, “Well, what are you going to do now moving forward? How are you going to change? Where are you going to take this opportunity and see that maybe there’s a different version of the future that’s been altered by this incredible event that happened?”
(L to R) Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin.
MF: Amanda, Gus and Jepperd are separated at the end of season one. Can you talk about the strong connection those two characters made in the first season, and the challenges of separating them for the beginning of season 2?
AB: Well, it’s another interesting thing. We really took our time with it. Jepp, in the first episode, he really shows up at the very end and you realize this person’s going to be a force. Then the whole first season is really about this unlikely connection. We spent a lot of time talking about how long we could keep them apart in season two, honestly, because they are magic together. Our actors are so close to one another and have such a beautiful relationship and camaraderie. Nonso is just such a spiritual father figure for Christian. So we really knew we had to get them back together. But I think the other thing that’s interesting about kids growing up is they need their own space too to find their people, to find their connections. I think Wendy really provides that friendship that we as adults maybe don’t need to get in the mix of. So it’s almost like expanding the opportunity. But yeah, we were all like, “We got to get them back together.” I think it’s just such a beautiful moment when they see each other again and this deep love has not wavered.
(L to R) Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd and Christian Convery as Gus in ‘Sweet Tooth.’ Photo: Kirsty Griffin.
MF: Susan, as a producer, can you talk about working with actors Christian Convery and Nonso Anozie and watching them create these characters and their unique friendship over these two seasons?
SD: Well look, we were so fortunate in the casting process to get a young actor in Christian Convery who is just such magic on screen. We also loved the fact that he had a bunch of experience under his belt by the time he was working with us even first season because as you see, he is in so much of this. He was in so much of the first season, and so much of second season. So he is a seasoned pro who’s then just digging into this character. Obviously, with Jepp, we made some adjustments from the source material. Finding Nonso, again, was such a victory for us. But you don’t know until you put these two on screen together what that chemistry’s going to be. As Amanda said, they just fell in love with each other. They couldn’t be physically or visually more different, which is perfect, and what we’re going for. Again, the larger thematic exploration of finding family, creating your own family, it doesn’t matter what you look like or even what species you are, in our case, you can find that connection. These two really did find it both on screen and off. I think you can feel it as you’re watching it.
MF: You’ve also added several more young actors to the cast this season, who play the hybrids. Since child actors have limited time to work on set, and many of them are wearing elaborate costumes or make-up, can you talk as a producer about the challenges of working with such a large cast of young actors?
SD: Well, this is when you really rely on your ADs to schedule things properly and to make sure that they know exactly when they need to break the kids, send them to school, all of that kind of stuff. Fortunately, we had these other very active storylines. They loom large because they are so incredible and fun and unique. But we were able to jump around and shoot other things, and get some of these other storylines, and they really formed a bond, this group of kids. That casting process was also a ton of fun because when we were looking at it and thinking about each of the different characters, it was like we couldn’t find the kid until we found him (or her). There was never, “Is it this one or this?” It was always like, boom, this is our kid, this kid’s magic. Once again, you’re rolling the dice. Are they going to get along? What are they going to be like? What are the parents going to be like? But we got incredibly fortunate with this group.
MF: Amanda, we only saw Neil Sandilands as General Abbot briefly in the first season, but his role is greatly expanded for season 2. Can you talk about the decision to give him a larger role in the new season?
AB: He’s such a lovely human too. It’s so funny how much he also revels in being kind of evil in that way. But honestly, he brought so much to it. I think once he embodied the role in season one, I think the writers were so deeply inspired by him. So it was easy to write for him. He revels in it so much. I think the same thing goes for all the hybrids, all of our cast, they set the table season one that the writers just loved writing towards them. I think his relationship with his brother is really illuminating this season too, which was really vital. I think we wanted to give him dimension. There’s a past, there’s a history, there’s a context for why people become who they are. I think the other thing with him is that you really believe that he has a philosophy that he’s committed to in order to understand the world. While that is taking him into incredibly dark places, we really wanted to make sure that audiences understood him because those are the best villains, the ones that you actually totally get what their point of view is. You don’t believe that the choices they’re making are the right ones, but you understand them, and you’ll see in the latter half of the season, you get to meet other villains of the world, which I think is also really interesting.
MF: Susan, can you talk about Dr. Singh and Rani’s relationship and how that really motivates his actions in season 2?
SD: Again, this is one of those things where we took something that we learned in season one and let it inform a storyline for season two because originally, she wasn’t necessarily going to survive. But we fell so in love with her, and so in love with them and the true north that he needed through the course of this season to do the things and go to the lengths he went to. You had to believe and invest in that relationship because everything he’s doing obviously is driven to keep her alive. These two actors just brought such chemistry, such magic to the screen and you’re just rooting for both of them. Both of them are just incredible. So I think that, as Amanda was saying, it’s important as people are crossing moral lines to understand the motivation. You may not agree with their technique, but you have to at least accept why they’re doing it. To me, their relationship is the heart of his character, and is the heart of why he’s willing to go to the lengths that he’s willing to go.
MF: Finally, do you already have ideas for season 3, and do you have a larger arc designed for future seasons?
SD: Look, we’re focused right now on getting season 2 out, and hopefully, everybody loves it. The nice thing is Jeff (Lemire) gave us a lot of material in the books. So if we’re fortunate enough to have a season 3, I know that the writers certainly have ideas on how to utilize some of the other storylines found in the graphic novels to continue to tell the story of Gus and Jepp.
To watch our exclusive interviews with the cast of ‘Sweet Tooth’ season 2 including Christian Convery, Naledi Murray, Nonso Anozie, Dania Ramirez, Adeel Akhtar, James Brolin and showrunner Jim Mickle, please click on the video player below.
Back in 2019, we got the latest attempt to bring Mike Mignola’s ‘Hellboy’ comics to theaters. The character, a demonic creature who has been recruited to help the fight against evil––and who boasts both a snappy wit and a giant red fist in addition to his red, rocky appearance––was played there by ‘Stranger Things’ David Harbour, with Neil Marshall, the British director behind ‘The Descent’ and ‘Doomsday’ overseeing the movie.
Unfortunately for all involved, it only made $55 million globally at the box office on a $50 million budget, which appeared to scupper Millennium Films’ plan for a new franchise based on the character.
The new film has comic book creator Mike Mignola writing the script for the first time (he contributed the story to the 2004Guillermo del Toro version––more on that down below), along with Christopher Golden, who works on the comics at Dark Horse with him. They’ve adapted comics run ‘The Crooked Man’ for the screenplay.
The new film will see Hellboy and a rookie BPRD agent stranded in 1950s rural Appalachia. There, they discover a small community haunted by witches, led by a local devil with a troubling connection to Hellboy’s past: the Crooked Man.
In the comic, The Crooked Man was an eighteenth-century miser and war profiteer named Jeremiah Witkins who was hanged for his crimes yet returned from Hell as the region’s resident Devil.
Shooting is reportedly scheduled to kick off in Bulgaria next month, but nothing has been released as to who will play the main character.
“‘The Crooked Man’ is a departure from all previous Hellboy films where Mike Mignola and the creator of the comics will finally shepherd an authentic version of his stories and characters in film form,” said Millennium Media’s President Jeffrey Greenstein. “This is the first in the series of films that will captivate audiences in familiar (and new) ways. Brian Taylor is an expert across the board, and I couldn’t think of a better person to bring this story to life to show our audience this different and original Hellboy slate of films.”
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro holds Hellboy’s revolver on the set of ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army.’
What’s happening with Guillermo del Toro’s version?
Unfortunately for fans of Guillermo del Toro’s two ‘Hellboy’ movies, which were released in 2004 and 2008 respectively, the latest development means we may never get to see the director’s third film, which he’d planned to wrap up a trilogy.
Del Toro has also moved on to many other projects, including the likes of the Oscar-nominated ‘Pinocchio’ from this year, so we can at least look forward to plenty of films from him, even if that third ‘Hellboy’ remains strictly on wish lists for now.
(L to R) Ron Perlman as Hellboy and Doug Jones as Abe Sapien in director Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Hellboy II: The Golden Army.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Hellboy: The Crooked Man:’
Tom Sturridge as Morpheus / Dream in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’
Like waking up from a nightmare, fans of Netflix’s adaptation of ‘The Sandman’, created by Neil Gaiman, have now learned the good news: the streaming service has renewed the show for a second season.
The news broke unexpectedly and – we’d have to assume – not in the fashion that Netflix would have preferred, as a tweet about the renewal from the official DC Comics account went online earlier than planned.
It was since confirmed by both Gaiman (via his own tweet) and Netflix.
The rumours are true. Netflix is thrilled that so many of you have been watching Sandman, and the thing we were all hoping would happen… has indeed happened… pic.twitter.com/zc5CrhsdZK
‘Sandman’, for those who might be unfamiliar, was a 75-issue DC/Vertigo comics series published in the 1990s. Gaiman’s own one-line synopsis was: “The lord of dreams learns that one must change or die, and makes his decision,” yet the sprawling series takes in pantheons and mythologies from across the globe, via threads about fantastical quests, serial killers, road trips, and short stories only tangentially connected to the core narrative. Many tales featured Dream’s siblings, the Endless: Destiny, Death, Destruction, Despair, Desire, and Delirium. There are some characters – such as members of his own family – who are happy to see Dream return, while others are not so sure this is a good thing.
“Millions upon millions of people have welcomed and watched and loved ‘The Sandman’ on Netflix, from established ‘Sandman’ fans to people who were simply curious, and then became obsessed with the Lord of Dreams, his family and their goings-on,” Gaiman said in a statement.
Season 1 only covered roughly two of the 10 trade paperbacks that make up the majority of the ‘Sandman’ story. Which means there is a wealth of material still to bring to screens.
(L to R) Tom Sturridge as Morpheus / Dream and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’
“There are some astonishing stories waiting for Morpheus and the rest of them (not to mention more members of the Endless Family to meet),” Gaiman continued. “Nobody is going to be happier about this than the ‘Sandman’ cast and crew: They are the biggest Sandman fans there are. And now it’s time to get back to work. There’s a family meal ahead, after all. And Lucifer is waiting for Morpheus to return to Hell…”
Unlike ‘Good Omens’, Gaiman wasn’t the showrunner on ‘Sandman’, though he was deeply involved (including co-writing the first episode). Show boss Allan Heinberg will also be back for the new season.
“I’m profoundly grateful to Netflix and to Warner Bros. — to the artists and crew who made our first 11 episodes so magical — and to the extraordinary fans of ‘The Sandman’ who advocated tirelessly — endlessly — on the show’s behalf and made it possible for us to continue telling Morpheus’ story,” showrunner Heinberg tells Netflix’s Tudum blog.
Given the complexity of the show, we can’t imagine it’ll be back before 2024, but at least we know it’ll be back.
Few genre projects are as anticipated at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con than Netflix’s series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Sandman’.
Sure, there are the gigantic likes of Marvel and DC bringing their own latest comic book-based treats to con audiences, but Gaiman’s sprawling, mystical and magical tale of the Lord of Dreams (and the various people, creatures and realms he encounters) is a truly special one to its fans.
And it’s a story that has long defied attempts at adaptation, especially on the movie front (and partly because Gaiman himself has tried to make sure that if it happened at all, it happens right).
The longer format of serialized television and the budgets/technology afforded by today’s streaming services finally appears to have cracked it, and the show is less than a month away. So Netflix naturally went all out with a Hall H panel featuring cast and creators.
The cast of Netflix’s ‘The Sandman’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.
For those who might be unaware of the comic book (which debuted back in the 1980s), this is the story of 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 (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.
That feels like a very CliffsNotes summation for something that is gigantic and filled with myths and monsters. Oh, and a talking Raven called Matthew (voiced in the series by Oswalt, a confirmed fan of the comics who read from issue one).
Comic book creator Neil Gaiman from Netflix’s ‘The Sandman’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.
Gaiman talked about how happy he was that the story was finally coming to the screen in the right way, while the cast enthused about getting to play their various characters. There were the usual anecdotes – Tom Sturridge, who plays Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, was cast after hundreds of other actors were auditioned, while Gwendoline Christie plays Lucifer as a “junkie angel”.
Perhaps the biggest news to emerge was that artist Dave McKean – who created so many of the beautiful covers for the comics, but who had effectively retired from work on it – was back for the show. “Every episode has end-title credits, and it’s a different sequence for each episode,” said Gaiman, “this amazing, flowing film that Dave McKean made.”
Clips from a couple of episodes were screened, though as usual those were only for attendees. Netflix was gracious enough to put a new trailer online for everyone to see.
Tom Sturridge from Netflix’s ‘The Sandman’ at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.
‘The Sandman’ will premiere on Netflix for its first season on August 5th.
Tom Sturridge as Morpheus / Dream in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’(L to R) Tom Sturridge as Morpheus / Dream and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’(L to R) Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death and Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’David Thewlis as Dr. John Dee in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’(L to R) Tom Sturridge as Morpheus / Dream and Stephen Fry as Fiddler’s Green / Gilbert in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’Joely Richardson as Ethel Cripps in Netflix’s ‘The Sandman.’
