AncalagonTheBlack Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Joseph Gordon-Levitt Leaves DC’s ‘Sandman’ Movie Citing Creative Differences Quote The film version of DC Comics’ seminal series Sandman will have to find a new prince of stories, as Joseph Gordon Levitt announced today that he has left the project over creative differences with New Line. Gordon-Levitt cited the film changing hands from Warner Bros to its subsidiary New Line Cinema as part of the problem, saying “a few months ago, I came to realize that the folks at New Line and I just don’t see eye to eye on what makes Sandman special, and what a film adaptation could/should be. So unfortunately, I decided to remove myself from the project.” He added that “I wish nothing but the best for the team moving forward.” Gordon-Levitt’s full statement: So, as you might know if you like to follow these sorts of things, a while back, David Goyer and I made a producing deal with Warner Brothers to develop a movie adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN. Neil himself came on as an executive producer, we hired the excellent screenwriter, Jack Thorne, and we started in on the ambitious task of adapting one of the most beloved and boundary-pushing titles in the world of comics. I was pleased with the progress we were making, even though we still had quite a ways to go. Recently, as you also might know if you like to follow these sorts of things, the sorta “ownership” (for lack of a better term) of the Sandman material changed hands when Warner Brothers shifted the entire catalogue of Vertigo comics (an imprint of DC) to their subsidiary, New Line. And a few months ago, I came to realize that the folks at New Line and I just don’t see eye to eye on what makes Sandman special, and what a film adaptation could/should be. So unfortunately, I decided to remove myself from the project. I wish nothing but the best for the team moving forward. I’d like to thank all the great people I’ve had the opportunity to work with on this one. I’ve had a blast with and learned a ton from David and Jack. Niija Kuykendall, Greg Silverman, and everyone at Warner Brothers have been fantastic, as have Geoff Johns and everyone at DC. And it’s been a particular privilege as well as a rocking good time getting to know Mr. Gaiman, whose generous insights and masterful work have certainly convinced me that the Lord of Dreams and the Prince of Stories are one and the same Endless pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 That's both dissapointing and concerning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martini Sigil Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 On the bright side... maybe this can be adapted for TV now.... which --IMO-- would be better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 2 hours ago, Martini Sigil said: On the bright side... maybe this can be adapted for TV now.... which --IMO-- would be better... It sounds like it's still going foward, just without JGL though. And seeing as this was a passion project for him it sucks he's out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Writhen Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Is it going to happen or not? It's been like 25 years since the series first began. Yeah, 1991 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theda Baratheon Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 This sucks...mostly because he seemed a big Sandman fan so for him to drop out is a bit concerning...and they should cast me as Death, damnit, I've been rocking the young perky goth look since I was 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King in Black Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 This is sad. JGL got Sandman. I hope now they just cancel the movie and make a HBO miniseries instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 1 hour ago, The King In Black said: This is sad. JGL got Sandman. I hope now they just cancel the movie and make a HBO miniseries instead. I would prefer that as well. HBO nailed the Spawn animated series back in the day. A miniseries would definitely work better for Sandman. No way a standalone movie will do it justice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DraculaAD1972 Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 New Line probably want more action scenes, maybe Dream could have ninja skills. What this story needs is the touch of Peter Jackson, who will add an orc army to the mix to spice things up. But seriously ...if ever a story was unfilmable its this one. The author wants Terry Gilliam but I can't see it, its been a long time since Brazil... Update: New Line have hired a writer whose resume includes the mediocre remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street and the mediocre prequel to the Thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Terry Gilliam would be a good choice. So would Guillermo del Toro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King in Black Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 1 hour ago, Nictarion said: I would prefer that as well. HBO nailed the Spawn animated series back in the day. A miniseries would definitely work better for Sandman. No way a standalone movie will do it justice. Sandman is impossible to do even as a multi-film series. As a miniseries, however, they can incorporate one of this story's most important aspect, the short stories. A film would probably just forget about Dream Country or World's End, which a TV show can perfectly capture as side-plots in the episodes, or interim episodes within the main narrative encompasing various of these stories within one episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 5 hours ago, Theda Baratheon said: This sucks...mostly because he seemed a big Sandman fan so for him to drop out is a bit concerning...and they should cast me as Death, damnit, I've been rocking the young perky goth look since I was 17 Good for him on stepping away from it though. The new version sounds much more in line of what I'd expect hollywood to do. Ignore the source material completely. To be honest I think this one is a case of it's already made for the medium in which it fits best. Even a TV show would be very hard to do. I get why people want a TV/film version but it's sometimes best to leave things as they are. Is there even much of an Audience for Sandman outside fans of Gaiman and the comic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 2 hours ago, red snow said: To be honest I think this one is a case of it's already made for the medium in which it fits best. Got to agree with this here. I mean fair play for JGL for having a passion project and all that but I just don't see how you plausibly adapt the comic into films. Even on television, the weaving nature of the plotlines would make it heavily impractical just from an actor perspective - hey, do you fancy being in this show, seasons 1, two episodes of two, a cameo in five, back again in six, a major role in nine and a moment in the finale? And to do it justice the budget would have to be extraordinary for a story not really tailored for mass audiences in its style (although the Gaiman name on it could help with that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theda Baratheon Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 4 hours ago, red snow said: Good for him on stepping away from it though. The new version sounds much more in line of what I'd expect hollywood to do. Ignore the source material completely. To be honest I think this one is a case of it's already made for the medium in which it fits best. Even a TV show would be very hard to do. I get why people want a TV/film version but it's sometimes best to leave things as they are. Is there even much of an Audience for Sandman outside fans of Gaiman and the comic? I actually really don't want there to be a film or TV - it just seemed like he was a big fan and that sort of passion project can sometimes turn out really well and now he's left (also glad he did if it's juat gone to shit) i t's just even more sad. I agree eith your second point tho. It's already in the best medium for thestory. I have been been struggling to imagine what it would even look like on film or tv.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theda Baratheon Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 sorry for typos damn phone keyboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 39 minutes ago, Theda Baratheon said: I actually really don't want there to be a film or TV - it just seemed like he was a big fan and that sort of passion project can sometimes turn out really well and now he's left (also glad he did if it's juat gone to shit) i t's just even more sad. I agree eith your second point tho. It's already in the best medium for thestory. I have been been struggling to imagine what it would even look like on film or tv.. It's clear he wanted to it justice but I guess the fact he couldn't convince the studio to do it his way was that it was a very hard sell. If it had been r-rated and full of meta swearing dick jokes he'd have been fine. He'd have had 2 of the 3 as Sandman was fairly self-aware. I can't really think of one of the arcs that would work except for the initial storyline. Most of the time the actual Sandman comic was more "sandman presents". There are a lot of arcs that would work as standalone films or an anthology with the Sandman's overal arc tieing things together. TV would still fail to capture the comic but it still seems preferable to film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 10 hours ago, Nictarion said: I would prefer that as well. HBO nailed the Spawn animated series back in the day. A miniseries would definitely work better for Sandman. No way a standalone movie will do it justice. Nictarion, I don't believe the tone/mystery of the Sandman can be properly shown on screen. It will lose too much in the translation. Some stories don't need to be filmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nictarion Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 2 hours ago, Ser Scot A Ellison said: Nictarion, I don't believe the tone/mystery of the Sandman can be properly shown on screen. It will lose too much in the translation. Some stories don't need to be filmed. I'm fine with them not doing an adaptation. In fact I'd prefer they don't, but since it's probably going to happen I just want it to be as good as it can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Writhen Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 They should give it to Fincher and just stand back ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight of Ashes Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 22 hours ago, Theda Baratheon said: This sucks...mostly because he seemed a big Sandman fan so for him to drop out is a bit concerning...and they should cast me as Death, damnit, I've been rocking the young perky goth look since I was 17 Right, and they should cast me as Morphy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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