Yesterday, fans of Neil Gaiman's seminal DC Vertigo comic series, The Sandman, got to see some footage from the upcoming Netflix adaptation via the first official teaser. The promo, which debuted during the TUDUM online event, didn't reveal much, but it did unveil Tom Sturridge as the eponymous Dream Lord, Morpheus.
A trio of posters were released to coincide with the teaser, and Netflix has now shared extended versions of the banners, spotlighting Dream, Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) and Desire (Mason Alexander Park), along with the symbols, or "sigils," associated with each character.
In the comics, Death looks out for her younger brother and attempts to reign in his more self-destructive tendencies, while the vindictive Desire takes on a more antagonistic role. The series is expected to follow suit in that regard, but Gaiman did promise some significant changes to the source material.
The Sandman also stars Game of Thrones alum Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, Logan actor Boyd Holbrook as sadistic escaped nightmare The Corinthian, Vivienne Acheampong (The Witches) as The Dreaming's loyal custodian Lucienne, Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) as black magician Roderick Burgess, and Asim Chaudhry (Black Mirror) and Sanjeeve Bhaskar (Yesterday) as Abel and Cain, respectively.
We recently learned that Desire will be played by Donna Preston, while Joely Richardson will play Ethel Cripps, and David Thewlis will take on the role of her son John Dee, aka the deranged Dr. Destiny. Jenna Coleman will play John Constantine's great-great-great grandmother, Lady Johanna Constantine.
The 11-episode first season of The Sandman is expected to adapt the first arc of the Vertigo comics series, "Preludes and Nocturnes," which finds Dream captured by a black magician and held prisoner for the better part of a century. When he finally escapes, he sets about recovering three very important items, encountering Lucifer, John Constantine, Doctor Destiny, Martian Manhunter and more on his travels.
Gaiman is developing the show along with David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg. No premiere date has been set.